The idea that Jesse would always be better, that Seiji would always think so, that his father would always think so, was much harder to bear.
He and Jesse stood staring at each other until they were knocked apart by Aiden, striding past them and brushing them both off to opposite sides, as though flicking cobwebs off his shoulders.
“Oh my God, you people had your chance for a big, tense fence-off, and you didn’t take it. Knock it off before I bang your twerp heads together. I’m hosting a glamorous after-party, and I’m going to be dazzling in formal wear, and since I had this bonding experience with all of you, I just want to say”—Aiden took a deep breath—“stay far away from my party. Seriously, I hate your faces.”
36 HARVARD
Captain,” said Eugene, “do I look all right?”
Harvard gave him a fist bump. “You look great.”
Eugene looked very nervous. He’d said he wasn’t feeling great a while ago, and Harvard had stayed with him since the rest of their team seemed to have vanished somewhere. Now Eugene claimed he’d made a miraculous and total recovery, and was wearing one of Harvard’s dress shirts, which was slightly big on him, and his eyes were darting around. Harvard presumed he was worried about impressing Melodie.
Nobody else from their team had arrived at the party yet, so it was Harvard’s responsibility to stay by his teammate and provide him with moral support.
When Melodie appeared, she was wearing something other than fencing whites or jeans for the first time during camp. She was wearing a champagne-colored gown that glimmered in the moonlight as she moved. It was definitely a gown rather than a dress. Eugene appeared to be having trouble breathing.
“Wow,” Eugene breathed. “You look amazing. Can… we dance now?”
She hesitated, clearly remembering Eugene’s dancing from before, then relented and smiled. “We can.”
Eugene started to smile. “Even if I can’t actually waltz?”
“But of course, Eugene,” said Melodie. “I will simply take the lead.”
She reached out a hand, rings glimmering in the moonlight, and Eugene took it and let her lead him out onto the dance floor.
“Are they dating?” asked Nicholas, who had suddenly appeared by Harvard’s side.
Everyone stared at Nicholas.
Seiji peered over at Eugene and Melodie. “Now that you mention it, I think they are,” he said. “Good observation, Nicholas.”
Harvard decided to let it go. No matter what they’d been doing earlier, everyone was at the party to celebrate Harvard’s victory with him now. Everyone, it seemed, except for Aiden. Harvard looked around unobtrusively, but Aiden was nowhere in sight.
“No doubt Aiden’s having fun at his after-party already,” said Arune, drawing near.
Obviously, Harvard’s looking around hadn’t been unobtrusive enough.
“Having an exciting time without the rest of us plebes,” Arune continued. “I wasn’t invited, obviously, so I’m bitter. Does Aiden hate me? He seems to hate me. Not sure why. I never did anything to him.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you,” said Harvard.
Arune shrugged. “Just thinks he’s better than everyone else, then.”
Harvard wanted to argue, but he didn’t want to spoil the party. This was their last night at Camp Menton, and his victory celebration. Everybody seemed to be having a good time. Coach Williams was wearing an off-the-shoulder red dress. Possibly to celebrate Harvard’s victory. Possibly to celebrate her winnings. Assistant Coach Lewis’s glasses had almost fallen off her nose when she’d seen the coach.
Seiji was wearing a suit without a jacket, with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was messier than usual. There was a single lock of black hair falling into his eyes, which was huge for Seiji. Several people at the party were staring in a dazed fashion. Good for Seiji, Harvard thought fondly. Not that the kid was ever going to notice the stunned admirers.
The camp had only lasted a few days, but there was a lot more mingling now than there had been earlier. The music was louder, the buzz of voices louder still. People were exchanging numbers. Bobby had persuaded Nicholas to dance, saying they would have fun because they would be like a dancing team. On the dance floor, Eugene was slow dancing with Melodie beneath the swaying lights and lemon trees.
Harvard, sitting at the picnic bench with the MLC guys, smiled down at the fallen leaves.
Good for Eugene.
Arune nudged him. “Yeah, that could be you, Harvard.”
“I—uh,” Harvard stammered. “Eugene and Melodie are both great people, but if you think I have any interest in either of them—”
“No, I don’t,” said Arune. “Pretty clear you’re hung up on that jerk Aiden.”
Oh good. It really was as obvious as Harvard had feared. That wasn’t humiliating at all.
Arune continued, in his helpful, friendly way, totally unaware that it felt as though he were peeling Harvard’s heart with a dull knife. “You’re a good-looking cat, Harvard. And you’re a really decent guy. I’m sure you have all these treasured memories of when Aiden was sweet and little and had that epic crush on you, but those days are gone. You can do better.”
“Sorry?” Harvard said. “Epic what?”
The enormity of Arune’s mistake made him laugh a little.
“Crush,” said Arune.
Arune’s voice blurred into white static in Harvard’s ears. He could feel his heartbeat hammering in his throat. He felt like someone in a horror movie, his heartbeat speeding up. Something huge and terrible was on the edge of his awareness.
“Aiden never had a crush on me,” he told Arune firmly, shutting down that ridiculous idea at once.
Arune just stared. “Pretty sure he did, Harvard.”
“Trust me, I would know.”
“I thought you did know!” Arune exclaimed. “Everybody knew! The whole school had bets on it! Maybe it was just that you were the only person in his messed-up life who he could rely on, but he obviously thought you hung the moon, the sun, and all the little stars. The first time I saw you after eight years, I assumed you guys were together because I didn’t realize Aiden was a hot jerk now. Aiden gave you all those valentines—”
“Friend valentines,” corrected Harvard blankly. He thought back to all the years Aiden had shyly given him valentines, how he would reply with a Thanks, buddy, and Aiden would say it was no problem. The year Aiden stopped giving them to him, Harvard had asked him about it.
“No valentine this year?” he’d said.
Aiden had worn a strange, crooked smile and simply replied, “I guess I grew up.”
“Friend valentines are not a thing!” Arune said, snapping Harvard back to the present. “He sent you postcards every day whenever he went away, to say, Thinking of you.”
“Yeah, because we’re best friends.”
“Every day, Harvard?” asked Arune. “Best friends who think of each other every day?”
“Yes!” Harvard exclaimed desperately.
He’d never had a best friend other than Aiden, and he thought of Aiden every day. He assumed it was normal best friend behavior.