Got the Blues

Chapter 4-2

Vin slid into a study carrel at the library, throwing his books down. He opened a thick mathematical tome and proceeded to skim through his notes. He highlighted a few things he didn’t already know, solved an equation in his head, and then worked it out on paper just to prove to himself he could still do it. His grades were fine, really. He snorted. Living with Beau, the study-a-holic, was bad for his class-esteem. A few minutes passed and then someone leaned against his desk.

“Surprised to see you here,” Ann-Marie said. She was still subdued, not herself at all.

“I do study, sometimes,” he protested.

“Sure. When was the last time you actually cracked a book?”

“Ten minutes ago, and it’s killing me. Let’s get outta here!”

They bundled out of the library and down the path before either of them said anything. “So, he’s figured it out?” Ann-Marie asked.

“Of course he did,” Vin said, ignoring the little niggle that said if he could ever learn to keep his mouth shut, he’d be much happier; or maybe not, since he’d blurted out his feelings for Beau in the midst of an exceedingly stupid argument and just look how well that had turned out. “He’s not stupid.”

“And you’re not subtle. That’s all right, though. I think he’ll have a good time anyway.”

“Who’ll have a good time?” Charles, the new guy from Rainbow Connection, had walked up behind them, unseen. He inserted himself into the conversation just as if he’d been welcome.

“Oh, hi.” Vin attempted a quelling look, the sort his grandmother excelled at, as if there was a dab of mud on the hall carpet and why hadn’t the maid cleaned it up already?

Charles was not quelled. “Good to see you again, man,” he said. “And you’re Ann-Marie, right? I needed to see you anyway about my dues.”

Ann-Marie raised an eyebrow. “And you knew that, how?”

“Social networking, my lovely, social networking. You’re friends with Vinyl here, and with Andrew and with Tamara who accepted my friend request after the meeting earlier in the week. Seemed only logical that there wouldn’t be two Ann-Maries in the club who worked on the Homecoming float. So, seriously, I was veep for the GSA at my old school—I transferred here after two years at U of M—Charles is my name, it’s nice to meet you.” He held out a hand for Ann-Marie to shake, who didn’t. She just continued to look dubious.

“Why’d you transfer?”

“I didn’t like Ann Arbor and there was an appreciable tuition difference,” he said. There was a twitch of his mouth that Vin noticed with interest. It was a little too familiar; he saw the same expression on Beau’s face from time to time. Complaining about money matters to someone for whom money was never key in his decision-making process. Beau, however, was merely embarrassed. Charles’s lips flattened out to express some unspoken hostility about the matter.

“Oh.” Ann-Marie apparently decided this wasn’t interesting at all. “Well, I can take your dues now, or next week, whatever works for you. We’re kinda in the middle of planning a birthday party.”

Vin stepped on her foot, but wasn’t fast enough.

“Oh, for who?” Charles lit up. “No, let me guess, that hot number that was hanging all over you at the meeting? Beau, right? Cute guy. Mind if I come to the party? I’ll tell ya, it’s been hella hard, breaking into the cliques around here. Too old to hang out with the freshman, and no one else seems to be opening up their social circles.”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Ann-Marie said. “Most of Rainbow’s gonna be there, as well as some of our alums—Beau’s a popular kid. Might as well come on over, see who you can chum up with. Take the brown line into the city; we’re meeting up at Gay Paris. Nine o’clock.” She said the name with the typical French flair. “Come on, Vin, we’ve got to get a cake. Stop standing there like a stump.”

“Why’d you do that?” Vin demanded after they were well out of earshot.

“What? You got something against the new guy?”

Vin made a face. “Something just sits wrong with me about him. He’s too interested in Beau.”

“Beau is a fine-looking man,” Ann-Marie said. “There’s no harm in anyone stealing a peek.”