October Ghosts. Jenny Plumb

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      Three days later, on Saturday afternoon, Seth and Jessie were packing for their excursion.

      "Hey, Seth?"

      "Yeah?"

      "Could you do me a favor tonight?"

      Seth nodded absently while stuffing a clean shirt in his backpack. "Probably. What is it?"

      "If we split up to check out different areas of the hotel, I'm going to suggest that I go with Paula and you go with Olivia. I was hoping you'd back me up when I do."

      Seth stopped packing and decided it was past time for him to talk to Jessie about Olivia. He liked Olivia and wanted to ask her out, but he had to make sure Jessie would be okay with that first. He turned to face his roommate and sat on the edge of his bed to give Jessie his full attention.

      "Why wouldn't you want to go with Olivia?"

      Clearly surprised, Jessie turned to look at Seth. "It's not that I don't want to go with Liv, it's that I want to go with Paula. I uh… kind of like her."

      "Yes, I know. That's obvious, but—"

      "It's obvious?" Jessie asked with dismay.

      "Maybe not to Paula, she's pretty self-involved, but it's obvious to me. But what I don't get is your relationship with Olivia."

      Jessie shoved a small bag of toiletries inside his backpack. "We're just friends."

      "It seems like more than that to me."

      Jessie shrugged with his back to Seth. "Okay, we're close friends."

      "So, you wouldn't mind if I asked her out?"

      Jessie spun around and scrutinized Seth. "You like her?"

      Seth nodded. "I do."

      "Oh."

      "So are you going to change your statement about just being friends?"

      Jessie sat on the edge of his bed, facing Seth, and shook his head. "No. I just… I don't know if you'd be right for her."

      "Why not?"

      "I-I can't say."

      Seth scowled. "What do you mean, you can't say?"

      Jessie frowned and looked down at his feet. "I mean it's not my place to say. Look, you can ask her out, and I think you'd be great boyfriend material for most any girl, but if Liv says no, it's probably got nothing to do with you personally."

      "Well, that's frustratingly vague," Seth grumbled.

      "Sorry." Jessie scowled and then stared out their little window. "Olivia has skeletons in her closet. I'd like to tell you about them, but I can't break her trust."

      Seth reluctantly respected that decision and sighed. "Okay, I'll try not to take it personally if she rejects me."

      "Good."

      Curiosity getting the better of him, Seth asked, "What about Angie?

      Jessie fidgeted with the straps on his backpack. "What about her?"

      "You spend one night a week with her. Are you a couple?"

      Jessie shook his head. "No. We're… complicated. She's living with a guy named Isaac, and sometimes I go spend the night at their house. They're a couple, but they're in an open relationship, and I'm like a… well, a friend with benefits, I guess you'd call it?"

      Seth tried to hide his shock, but it wasn't easy. Jessie must have seen it because he blushed and looked down at his lap. "I know it probably seems creepy to most normal people, because they're in their thirties and I'm nineteen. But my mom is kind of horrible, and I never met my dad, so Angie and Isaac kind of… help me feel like someone cares if I do well in school and stuff."

      "It's not creepy," Seth said immediately, realizing he meant it after the fact. "It's unusual. Not creepy. My parents suck, so I get it. If Angie and Isaac give you the things your mom can't, then I'm not going to judge you for that."

      "Really?" Jessie asked, making eye contact again.

      "Yeah."

      "Thanks."

      Even though Seth didn't think it was creepy, he didn't exactly want details either, but he felt compelled to point out the obvious. "I'm not sure how ethical it is for you to pursue Paula when you're in a relationship with other people. Plus, you know she's dating Braden."

      Jessie shrugged. "I wouldn't make a move on her while she's dating him. But if I spend some quality time with her, maybe she'll decide she's with the wrong guy. And if she did want to date me, I'd stop seeing Angie." He frowned and added, "Well, we'd probably still be friends, but I'd stop sleeping with her."

      Seth nodded. "Still, not entirely ethical in my book, but Braden is an asshole. So sure, I'll go with your plan when you mention it."

      "You will?"

      "I will." With a decisive nod, Seth got up and finished his packing.