Chapter 25:
Utah winters were always an interesting time. November was alright, maybe a few snow showers here and there, maybe even some snow in October. December was starting to dip down into the lower temperatures with more snowfall. January was bitter cold and usually a decent amount of snow. February; forget it. Heavy snowfalls in February and even worse cold. March was still cold with the occasional snow shower here and there. It didn't start thawing until April.
The small group of friends hardly ever saw Oliver out and about in February. It was just too darn cold for that boy and it was either him freeze to death hanging out or attempting to stay warm in his apartment snuggled up in a Doctor Who onesie. The others didn't know about the onesie till he wore it to Astronomy one day.
"Oliver, what the hell are you wearing?" Connor asked.
He held out his jacket, "One of Eric's leather jackets. It's quite cozy and warmer than mine."
"Oliver Davis, you stole my onesie!" Jazz exclaimed.
"Jealous?" Oliver smirked.
"Far from, ya damn Brown Coat," Jazz rolled his eyes.
Kevin turned to Connor, "You know, I would have thought that being friends with everyone for about two years I'd finally get some of the references made. Still not happening."
"And you room with Arnold!" Jazz pointed out.
"I know!"
Eric and Oliver sat down, minus Noah, and turned around to face their friends. Oliver shed off his jacket to reveal the rest of his TARDIS onesie he didn't feel like changing out of. At least he wasn't shivering cold with six jackets.
"Price, I meant to ask you something," Eric began, "Since the topic of Arnold came up, how did he react to finding out about you and McKinely dating?"
"It was a mutual understanding," he nodded, "He didn't tell me about him and Naba right away and I didn't tell him about us for a while. We were up late studying one night and we were both texting and we asked each other who we were texting and then it kinda came out that we were both in relationships."
"He didn't freak?" Oliver asked.
Kevin shook his head, "Not at all. He was worried that I was mad at him for him not telling me about he and Naba when it happened cause he said he told a few others before me."
"True," Eric nodded, "But still. He didn't care that you're dating one of his friends?"
"Nope," he shook his head, "I mean, I already kinda told him I was bi to begin with. I didn't mean to it just kinda came out and he didn't really say anything about it so we left it at that."
"How about your parents?" Jazz asked.
Connor scoffed and rolled his eyes. Kevin sighed, "Don't bring that up around him."
"He hasn't told them!" Connor exclaimed, "I told my parents when we declared it official. He has yet to tell his parents!"
"Connor, I'm waiting for the perfect moment to tell them," Kevin defended himself, "Is that so wrong?"
"I agree with Kevin," Eric began, "I mean, Mormon parents. What else is there to say? I remember the first time I met Noah's family and told them I was a pansexual when they asked if I had a girlfriend. I didn't talk to them for months after that. They were afraid to talk to me. Every once in a while they'd cross themselves when I was over or they'd place out all their Books when they knew I was coming over. Not fun…
"Point is, Price's parents might freak out finding out that their oldest son is bisexual and has a boyfriend. Connor, you've been out of the closet a helluva lot longer than Price. So honestly, I don't see a problem with him waiting to tell them."
"I agree with Eric," Jazz nodded.
"Same."
Kevin gave Connor a victorious smug smile. Connor rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, "No snuggles for you tonight."
"Oh come on," he groaned.
"Nope."
"Mr. Davis," Professor Miller called up to them as he walked in the room.
"Yes?"
"You're not going to get extra credit for wearing a Doctor Who onesie in class. This is Astronomy, not Doctor Who, Firefly, Star Wars or Star Trek, or any of them other science fiction shows. Despite the fact we talk about them doesn't mean a thing, Mr. Davis."
Oliver looked around the room. No one was in there yet. Oliver rolled his eyes, "Stephen, please. It's friggin cold out there. I don't want to be freezing and this is the only thing that works to keep me warm that's appropriate for the classroom."
"A onesie?" Miller raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's either that or cuddling up with your cousin and I don't think that's classroom appropriate," Oliver stated with a smirk.
Eric added onto that and pulled Oliver into his lap and wrapped his arms around his waist. Oliver smiled and put his head on Eric's shoulder and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Miller only seemed to roll his eyes with a sigh.
"Alright, alright!" he laughed lightly, "Since class has not started, you're my cousin first, Eric. Now please, I can live with the onesie, just no more of the cuddling."
Oliver got off of Eric's lap and back into his own seat. Stephen pulled down the projector screen before turning back to the group.
"Alright, no more of that cuddling stuff. We're family, Eric."
"Yes, sir!" Eric saluted him with a smile.
Connor looked around the classroom. Something was missing. His eyes wandered to the empty seat next to Eric and in front of Kevin. Someone was missing.
"Where's Noah?" Connor asked, pointing to the empty seat.
Eric groaned and rolled his eyes over dramatically, "Don't even get me started. Ever since Price gave him that girls phone number that's all he's been doing! Talking to that girl! Hanging out with her, texting her, going to church with her. Jesus Christ, he's obsessed with this girl!"
"Good!" Kevin sighed of relief, "She's been breathing down my back less and less and that's awesome! Noah found a mate equally religious as him, we should be celebrating."
"Yeah true…" Eric trailed off.
"She is a bit annoying though," Oliver admitted.
"Yeah she is," Kevin nodded, "Put up with her for far too long."
"How long were you dating her, Kev?" Connor asked.
He shrugged, "I dunno… I think it was about a year and a half…?"
"A year and a half too long?" Eric asked with a small laugh.
Kevin nodded, "Yup."
Connor smiled, "Well, at least I know how long we need to be together."
"Oh?"
"Obviously our relationship needs to last longer than that other hoe's."
Oliver couldn't help but laugh at his word choice. As if on cue, Noah and Abby both walked in smiling at each other and deep into a conversation. Kevin stiffened up, still despising every sight of Abby. Noah got to his seat and jumped over the row and sat down.
"You didn't have to walk me here," he smiled.
"I wanted to," she smiled back. That damn Mormon smile. She looked back at Kevin and gave him a small wave, "Hi, Kevin."
"Hi," he forced a small smile to her.
"See you this afternoon," she smiled to Noah.
"Text you later," he waved to her.
"Bye," she waved to Noah then looked over to Kevin, "Bye, Kevin."
She left as soon as other students started entering the hall. Noah turned around and shot a glare at Kevin. Kevin had just checked his phone, thinking it went off. To his findings, it had not. He switched it to sleep and put it back in his jacket before looking at a glaring Noah.
"What?" he asked.
"What was that? You know I like her!"
"I know that, it's not my fault that she's still stalking me."
"Have you asked her out?" Jazz asked.
"N-No…" Noah trailed off.
"Are you dating?" Oliver asked next.
"No…"
"Then lay off Kevin for his stalker still liking him," Eric crossed his arms, "Ask her out then you can bitch at her for seeking out other male specimen."
"Male specimen," Connor nodded, "Has a nice ring to it."
"But really, ask her out already and don't get your panties in a bunch," Eric rolled his eyes at his friend.
"Jezz," Miller looked up from his plans, "Neely, just ask her out."
With that, the group laughed. Noah merely turned bright red out of embarrassment.
Astronomy went by pretty smoothly. Professor Miller changed his lesson plans and decided to talk about time travel and used Oliver as an example to flaunt off his adorable onesie. He even put the hood up that had the TARDIS light beacon on top. Eric thought it was the god damn cutest thing ever. And it really was. Miller thought it would be embarrassing for him, but everyone didn't seem to care or thought it was the best thing they ever saw.
At one point, Miller called up Jazz and another geeky kid from the back and all four of them had a debate about time travel according to different shows. Nothing wrong with debates about time travel. There was nothing wrong with defending Doctor Who, Quantum Leap, Back to the Future and Phineas and Ferb. They were all mature college students having a grown up conversation about time travel in TV shows like the geeks they all were.
Eventually, the day came to a close without a problem (or Oliver freezing). To celebrate Oliver not freezing his ass off, most of the group decided to change into their pjs and go to their normal pizza place to study for a while.
Oliver and Jazz in matching TARDIS onesies. Eric, surprisingly, flaunting off his new retro Captain Kirk commander shirt and matching Enterprise sleep pants. Nothing wrong with trekies. When Arnold and Naba got there, Eric and he seemed to have a stare down. Arnold was draped in a Han Shot First shirt and Sith sleep pants. They glared each other down till they settled down in the booth across from Schravis. Naba was quite thankful when McPriceley joined them in their normal pjs. The three of them were wearing normal t-shirts and hoodies and normal flannel sleep pants.
"We look normal," Jazz nodded happily.
"Some of us look dumb," Connor noted to Eric mostly.
"What the fuck? I look awesome and you're all just jealous of my Kirk shirt."
"Not really, no," Arnold shook his head, "No."
"bIjatlh 'e' yImev," he shook his head.
"Holy shit you were not kidding about that," Connor laughed.
He nodded proudly, "I know. I wasn't kidding that I could speak it." He looked at Arnold, "Star Wars doesn't have a made up language now does it? Thus, furthering my thesis on Star Trek is better."
Arnold scoffed, "No way! I'm not loosing this battle!"
"Give up now," Oliver piped up from his notebook, "You'll never win against him."
"Yeah, well J. R. R. Tolkin created a total of eleven languages!"
"That's still not our debate, Arnold," Eric crossed his arms, "Our argument has always been Star Wars vs. Star Trek. Not throwing Tolkin into the mix."
"Totally not fair," Arnold crossed his arms.
While Arnold and Eric went into the normal argument, Kevin's phone buzzed. When it didn't stop when he ignored it, he sighed. Calls were always annoying to take when around arguing nerds.
"Hello?" he asked.
"Hey, Kevin," Elle said in her cheerful voice, "I just wanted to tell you to tell everyone else that I made it here alright! I start classes on Monday."
He put a hand over his other ear to hear her better, "Sorry, I can't really hear you. There's a battle of the nerds going on beside me."
"What are you talking about, Kevin?" she asked, her normal cheerful voice turned concerned.
"Don't need to be concerned. It's just Arnold and Eric."
"Oh that's all?" she giggled, "Then I take back being concerned. I just wanted to drop you all a line saying that every things alright and I'm ok. Nothing wrong in doing that right?"
"Right," Kevin nodded, "Listen, I'll talk to you later. This is getting pretty loud."
"Alright, Kevin. Talk to you later."
"The others wish you luck," he said for everyone.
"Tell them I said hi and thank you."
"Can do. Bye," he hug up the phone.
By now the argument had stopped and they were all looking at Kevin to explain the call. Nosey friends were the best kind of friends.
"Elle wanted to let us know that she got out there alright and that she starts on Monday."
"That's great for her," Jazz nodded, fist pumping a little.
"Yeah really," Connor nodded, "She's pursuing her dreams and that's great that she's doing that."
"Also, thanks for sending our assuming regards," Eric nodded.
"Sure, sure."
Naba looked around at the other people in the place. She giggled a little and turned to the guys, "We're getting weird looks from the other people."
"It was probably because of Eric and his damn Klingon," Jazz rolled his eyes with a smile.
"HuH P'Tok!" he responded.
"Do we want to know what you said?" Connor laughed.
"I called him a bile spineless human child," he smiled.
"You're a fucking nerd," Oliver said to him.
"I'm your fucking nerd," he smiled to him.
He sighed, "I know."
Eric smiled and put his arm around Oliver, who then proceeded to put his head on his shoulder. In return, Eric put up the hood on Oliver's onesie. Seeing the two snuggle up, Connor decided to slide into Kevin's body until he'd put his arm around him. Without hesitation, or even looking up from his book, Kevin put his arm around Connor and grabbed his hand. Naba simple scooted over to Arnold and held his hand under the table. That alone made him smile and blush bright red.
Poor Jasper on the other hand sat there with a over dramatized frown. He pulled out a pen and took Oliver's notebook and drew a circle with a series of smaller circles and lines. Then, he clicked the pen shut and pushed the notebook to the center table.
"What is that?" Naba asked noting to the paper.
"It says 'I'm lonely' in gallifreyan."
"Use your French for good and not evil," Connor suggested.
"We still love you," Oliver smiled.
He groaned, "Oh great! I feel totally loved now!"