myself, all wearing ’50s knit shirts and sunglasses, slouching in our seats, stone-faced. Our names are in bold type beneath the photo, and after mine, as if an explanation was necessary, the words “It Boy.” A bottle of champagne topples from a table, someone calls out for a shawalla.
“So what’s the story, Victor?” David asks. “Let me get this straight. You
weren’t
at the show? You’re
not
in that photo? Let me guess—that’s Jason Gedrick.”
“Isn’t anybody going to ask how the club’s going?” I finally ask, thrusting the paper back at the twin, suddenly indignant over this fact.
“Um, how’s the club going, Victor?” the other twin asks.
“I want to rock ’n’ roll all night and party every day.”
“Why wasn’t I invited to the opening?” Rick asks.
“I—want—to—rock-’n’-roll—all—night—and—party—every—day.” I grab the WWD back from the twin and study the photo again. “This must be a mistake. This must be from another show. In fact, that
must
be Jason Gedrick.”
“What other shows have you been to this week?” someone asks.
“None,” I finally murmur.
“When you stop orbiting around Jupiter, let us know, okay?” David says, patting me on the back. “And Jason Gedrick’s in Rome shooting
Summer Lovers II
, baby.”
“I’m in the here
and
the now, baby.”
“That’s not what I hear,” Nikitas says, crunching.
“I’m not really interested in what information you’re able to process,” I tell him.
“Everything cool with you and Baxter and Chloe?” David asks this casually and Nikitas and Rick manage sly grins, which of course I notice.
“It’s so cool it’s icy, baby.” I pause. “Er … what do you mean, O Wise One?”
The three of them seem confused and their expressions lead me to believe that they expected an admission of some kind.
“Um, well … ,” Rick stammers. “It’s, well, y’know …”
“Please,” I groan. “If you’re going to hand out shitty gossip about me, at least make it fast.”
“Did you ever see the movie
Threesome
?” David ventures.
“Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.”
“Story is that Chloe, Baxter and Victor are intrigued by that premise.”
“We are not speaking of Baxter Priestly, are we, gentlemen?” I ask. “Surely we are not speaking of that little mo waif.”
“He’s the mo?”
“I mean, I know you’re a hip guy, Victor,” David says. “I think it’s like cool, really cool.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” I hold my hands up in front of me. “If you think for one
second
I’d
share
Chloe—Chloe Byrnes—with that pipsqueak … oh baby, spare me.”
“Who said
you’re
sharing anybody, Victor?” someone asks.
“What does that mean?”
“Who said it was your idea?” David asks. “Who said you were happy about it?”
“How can I not be happy about something that’s not happening?” I glare.
“We’re just telling you what’s out on the street.”
“
What
street? What street do you live on, David?”
“Uh … Ludlow.”
“Uh … Ludlow,” I mimic without trying.
“Victor, how can we believe you about anything?” Rick asks. “You say you weren’t at the CK show, but there you were. Now you say you’re not involved in a heavy ménage with Baxter and Chloe, yet word around town—”
“What else have you fucking heard?” I snap, waving a light meter out of my face. “I dare you, come on, I dare you.”
“That you’re fucking Alison Poole?” David shrugs.
I just stare for a couple seconds. “Enough, enough. I’m
not
seeing Alison Poole.”
“The straight face is impressive, dude.”
“I’m gonna ignore that because I don’t fight with girls,” I tell David. “Besides, that’s a dangerous rumor for you to spread. Dangerous for her. Dangerous for me. Dangerous for—”
“Just go with it, Victor,” David sighs. “Like I really even care.”
“You’ll be folding twenty-dollar sweaters at the Gap soon enough anyway,” I
“So what’s the story, Victor?” David asks. “Let me get this straight. You
weren’t
at the show? You’re
not
in that photo? Let me guess—that’s Jason Gedrick.”
“Isn’t anybody going to ask how the club’s going?” I finally ask, thrusting the paper back at the twin, suddenly indignant over this fact.
“Um, how’s the club going, Victor?” the other twin asks.
“I want to rock ’n’ roll all night and party every day.”
“Why wasn’t I invited to the opening?” Rick asks.
“I—want—to—rock-’n’-roll—all—night—and—party—every—day.” I grab the WWD back from the twin and study the photo again. “This must be a mistake. This must be from another show. In fact, that
must
be Jason Gedrick.”
“What other shows have you been to this week?” someone asks.
“None,” I finally murmur.
“When you stop orbiting around Jupiter, let us know, okay?” David says, patting me on the back. “And Jason Gedrick’s in Rome shooting
Summer Lovers II
, baby.”
“I’m in the here
and
the now, baby.”
“That’s not what I hear,” Nikitas says, crunching.
“I’m not really interested in what information you’re able to process,” I tell him.
“Everything cool with you and Baxter and Chloe?” David asks this casually and Nikitas and Rick manage sly grins, which of course I notice.
“It’s so cool it’s icy, baby.” I pause. “Er … what do you mean, O Wise One?”
The three of them seem confused and their expressions lead me to believe that they expected an admission of some kind.
“Um, well … ,” Rick stammers. “It’s, well, y’know …”
“Please,” I groan. “If you’re going to hand out shitty gossip about me, at least make it fast.”
“Did you ever see the movie
Threesome
?” David ventures.
“Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.”
“Story is that Chloe, Baxter and Victor are intrigued by that premise.”
“We are not speaking of Baxter Priestly, are we, gentlemen?” I ask. “Surely we are not speaking of that little mo waif.”
“He’s the mo?”
“I mean, I know you’re a hip guy, Victor,” David says. “I think it’s like cool, really cool.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” I hold my hands up in front of me. “If you think for one
second
I’d
share
Chloe—Chloe Byrnes—with that pipsqueak … oh baby, spare me.”
“Who said
you’re
sharing anybody, Victor?” someone asks.
“What does that mean?”
“Who said it was your idea?” David asks. “Who said you were happy about it?”
“How can I not be happy about something that’s not happening?” I glare.
“We’re just telling you what’s out on the street.”
“
What
street? What street do you live on, David?”
“Uh … Ludlow.”
“Uh … Ludlow,” I mimic without trying.
“Victor, how can we believe you about anything?” Rick asks. “You say you weren’t at the CK show, but there you were. Now you say you’re not involved in a heavy ménage with Baxter and Chloe, yet word around town—”
“What else have you fucking heard?” I snap, waving a light meter out of my face. “I dare you, come on, I dare you.”
“That you’re fucking Alison Poole?” David shrugs.
I just stare for a couple seconds. “Enough, enough. I’m
not
seeing Alison Poole.”
“The straight face is impressive, dude.”
“I’m gonna ignore that because I don’t fight with girls,” I tell David. “Besides, that’s a dangerous rumor for you to spread. Dangerous for her. Dangerous for me. Dangerous for—”
“Just go with it, Victor,” David sighs. “Like I really even care.”
“You’ll be folding twenty-dollar sweaters at the Gap soon enough anyway,” I
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