Out of Character (True Colors 2)

“You could start by winning against me,” Alden reminded me.

“Oh. My. God. Make Bruno play Alden.” Kellan gestured like his head just exploded at the idea.

“Or Conrad. I can play, too, you know. Just a bit.” Conrad gave him a look, then laughed.

“Just a bit.” Alden arched an eyebrow.

“Do you guys play all day at work?” Kellan asked as he took more food. “Like, what does a hard day at the office look like for you guys? ‘Oh, I lost to Conrad all day again, someone feel sorry for me and rub my feet’. Because I might need a career change.”

“Says the guy with three interviews next week for Broadway shows.” I flicked a piece of ice at him. Actually, I’d never in my life worked harder than I had that summer for Odyssey. I loved it. But it was still work. Meetings. Forms. Reports. Boring stuff. But I also got to see one of my best friends most days, so it was still winning.

“True. Okay. I’m not quitting my daydream yet. I’m just saying you guys have the coolest jobs ever.”

“Hey, it’s hard work!” Conrad protested.

“I’m gonna find out. Someday.” Milo gave a little smile. We’d been to a few more regional tournaments together. Official Odyssey business. And I always found Milo in the artist alley section, looking at the lines. Someday. He was going to get there. I knew it.

“Noooo,” Conrad moaned. “Then I’m gonna have to be that boss who has to lecture Jasper about not kissing next summer’s interns in the conference room.”

“The boss?” I stared him up and down. “Never.”

“You never know. Maybe I’m gonna run the place someday.” Conrad grinned at me. I grinned back.

“Play you for it.” I leaned forward.

“You’re on.”

“You’ll win,” Milo said sometime later when we were alone in the professors’ kitchen, washing dishes together. “Against Alden in a few minutes. But also against Conrad. You’re going to be the one to beat at Odyssey.”

“How do you know?” Heedless of the running water, I wrapped myself around him from the back, resting my head against his neck. I inhaled deeply. Yup. Still my jock.

“Because you’re my hero.” He turned so he could give me a soft kiss. “And I believe in you.”

When he said stuff like that, I believed him. Believed in myself a little more. I was a hero, exactly like I’d always wanted to be. And not only was I a hero, but I also got the guy in the end. “Love you.”

“Always.” He gave me another kiss. And I believed that, too, believed in the love I saw in his eyes. It got easier and easier to trust that this was indeed my actual life. I really did get to wake up and kiss Milo Lionetti every morning. I’d gotten my prince, exactly the one I’d needed, and now I wasn’t ever going to let him go.