Letters With Boys

Memphis and Gray, Week 16 - January

Mem,

Hope you had as much fun as I did at the Velvet Room. I’m as mind blown as ever by what a pool shark you are. I’ve been to your house—I know there’s no pool table there. How did you manage to hone that level of skill with no pool table at your home??

I know you said you weren’t sure how the audition went, but I know it went great, having heard you drum before. Have you heard anything yet? I’d like to think you’d text me the moment you did, but then again, you do love to keep me on my toes, you little minx.

Anything I can do to help you gals prepare for Bridget’s birthday party this weekend? Also, any chance at taking you out to dinner beforehand?

Love,

Gray

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Gray,

The Velvet Room was great, but you saying you didn’t want to mess around afterwards was a little weird. You barely even kissed me at the end of the night. Did I do something to upset you? You didn’t seem upset in your letter.

I actually did hear back from Taylor on Sunday. Would have told you, but like I said, I felt like you were mad at me, or something. Anyway, she called me on the phone and said the job was mine if I wanted it—but also that she wanted to make sure I would be able to compartmentalize my friendship with Bridget, you know, separately from my forthcoming relationship with the band.

Which, actually, I found pretty mature. And also potentially optimistic for Bridget. After all, doesn’t that sort of imply that Taylor sees some sort of future with Bridget, albeit one that might go south?

I like her, for what it’s worth. Taylor. She’s got a hella sexy voice, very rock and roll, and a good ear for rhythm. She showed me some of the songs she wrote, and I liked those, too.

Oh—I said yes, if that wasn’t clear. So now I’m officially in Aim and Fire, which is the name of the band. (Not really my favorite, but it could be worse.)

No need to help us get ready for the party, but dinner beforehand sounds nice. Maybe something afterwards, too? Bridget’s house has like forty rooms, if you recall. And I’m pretty sure I can convince her not to watch us from the futon this time.

Mem

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Mem,

I’m sorry for giving you the impression that I was upset. Honestly, messing around in my car in that church parking lot was fun when the stakes were lower, but now that we’re, erm, tumbling, it hardly seems a very respectable choice of establishment.

Besides, I don’t want you to feel like now that we’ve done it a little (okay, a lot in a short time span), we have to do it all the time. I like spending time with you, including time when our clothes are on.

Congratulations on the band! I agree that Aim and Fire is a so-so name for a band, but I also agree that it could be much worse (see Mouse Rat from Parks and Recreation). When do you start practicing? Any chance you’ll be making a debut performance at the party? (Just saying—that would be really cool.)

I agree that Taylor sounds pretty mature and cool. I hope she gives Bridget another chance. Surely there must be some degree of understand for how hard it is for Bridget, given that Taylor also had to deal with the coming out hurdle at some point?

As for dinner Saturday—it’s a date. As for the tumbling that night—it’s maybe a date. At the very least, it sounds nice to fall asleep next to you again, as it’s only been two weeks since we last did that, and yet it feels like a lifetime.

God, I’m a dork.

Love,

Gray

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Gray,

You don’t strike me as the type of guy who concerns himself with the “respectability” of the locations he “tumbles” in. Are you sure this isn’t, say, about me and my issues?

I can handle it, Gray. Really.

And anyway, if we’re ruling out tumbling in the car, we’re ruling out a lot of tumbling, given that you live in a dorm room and I live in a rather sensitive household.

At the very least, we should take advantage of the free room at Bridget’s on Saturday. What’s this “maybe” about?? Have I stopped appealing to you sexually, Gray? Because I can dress skankier if I need to.

I actually loved your idea about the band performing at Bridget’s party, though obviously it’s encroaching on some sensitive territory. First, I checked with Taylor to see if it was even an option; once she confirmed that it was, I checked with Bridget to make sure she could handle it emotionally. Once she confirmed that, I went back to Taylor and told her we should go for it.

So now we have our first show in two days, and we haven’t had a single practice. Uh-oh.

I’m gonna meet with them today after school, and hopefully tomorrow, too. Is it too late to take you up on helping us get ready for the party? Maybe you can help us roadie everything over to Bridget’s during the day on Saturday, so we can still grab dinner before the party?

Mem

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Mem,

Maybe it’s not about your “issues” and just about the fact that I respect you too much to “tumble” you in a car. Can you stop taking this as an insult, please? Of course, you still appeal to me sexually, Mem. In fact, I’m not sure it’s physically possible for you to appeal to me any more than you already do, even if you did dress skankier.

(Which, for the record, I’m not necessarily saying you shouldn’t do.)

I’m really stoked that you guys are going to play the party, and that you’re starting to practice already. How did yesterday go? Any chance your boyfriend can crash today’s practice? Texting you just in case the answer is yes.

I’ll be happy to roadie it up for you tomorrow. I made reservations at Florean’s for us at seven, so whatever time I need to meet you to get us there by then, I’ll be there.

Love,

Gray

P.S.: I noticed you stopped signing your letters “love.” I also know that as soon as you read this P.S., you’re going to yell at me and tell me to stop reading so much into things. But I just wanted to point it out, in case you just forgot that that’s how we sign our letters now, and needed the friendly reminder.