Screwups by Jamie Fessenden Page B

conversation rarely strayed from The Shires or the specific “shire” the household belonged to, known as Griffinmyre. Everyone even used their LARP names in casual conversation, such as when Serena called for “Lord Merek” to assist her with something in the kitchen and Karl responded. Danny had stayed here during spring break the year before, and it had been the same back then, but he was much more conscious of it with Jake there. If people in the dorm had thought Danny, Paul, and Eva were hardcore gamers, that was nothing compared to the denizens of Griffinmyre.
    During the course of the day, several more people arrived until the house was bustling with activity. Danny learned that they would all be staying the night, camped out wherever they could find a spot in the many rooms of the house. “Is there a guest room we can crash in?” Danny asked Karl, worried that he and his friends would end up on the floor somewhere.
    “You can sleep in my bed, sweetheart.”
    “What about Jake?”
    “Well,” Karl said reluctantly, “if your gorgeous friend doesn’t mind, I suppose there’s room for him too. It’s a queen-size futon.” Danny knew the reason for his hesitancy—he’d been hoping to get laid. But Danny wasn’t really in the mood to have sex with Karl.
    Jake overheard them and interjected, “I guess I don’t mind.” He was looking down at his stitching, concentrating on it perhaps a bit more intently than necessary.
    “Dibs on the middle,” Danny said quickly, before Karl started getting ideas of being the filling in a Jake and Danny sandwich. He was apparently too late, because Karl gave him a sour look.
    Back off, buddy. You’re not getting your hands on him.
    “Where am I going to sleep?” Paul asked.
    “You can share my bed,” Tara said. “It’s a double.” Paul looked scandalized, his eyebrows jumping up so high they threatened to pop off his forehead like in a Looney Tunes cartoon, but before he could say anything, Tara grimaced and said, “Don’t worry. I’m a dyke. I’m not going to molest you.”
    “Oh,” Paul said uncertainly. “Okay.”
    “Do you mind sleeping with me?” Becky asked Eva.
    “Only if we have wild lesbian sex.”
    “It could be arranged.”
    Despite the joke he’d made while planning the nude pizza party, Danny had no idea whether Eva would seriously consider having sex with a woman or not, but he quickly decided he didn’t need to know. At least everybody was accounted for. And he’d just arranged to spend his night sleeping beside Jake in a bed that wasn’t all that roomy for three people.
    I’m not going to get a wink of sleep.

Chapter Fourteen
     
    J AKE HAD to wonder if he wasn’t cramping Danny’s style by saying he’d share a bed with him and Karl. He’d seen the way Karl kissed him. They’d slept together before, he was pretty sure. The thought of it made Jake… well, he had to admit he was jealous. But he knew he didn’t have any right to be. Danny wasn’t his boyfriend. He could sleep with Karl if he wanted to. Or anyone else, for that matter.
    Even if the thought of it made Jake want to storm out and walk all the way back to New Hampshire.
    By evening, the repair work and other preparations for the LARP were finally done and the gathering evolved into a party. Everyone pooled their money for pizza and soda, and Serena broke out the mead. Jake had never had mead before—he wasn’t even sure what it was until Karl explained it to him. It was basically an incredibly sweet alcohol made from fermented honey instead of grapes or grain. “Don’t let the sweetness fool you,” Karl warned. “The Vikings used to drink this. It’s very butch.”
    It was definitely sweet but also very strong. Jake had to admit it tasted wonderful, though after a few glasses, he was feeling a little nauseous.
    “We have to get some of this stuff,” he told Danny.
    Danny laughed and touched his shoulder in a gesture that seemed halfway between a friendly