I slapped my own mouth on instinct. "I okay.. wow that came out wrong."
Zeke squinted. "Did it though?"
"I mean…" I waved my hands, already sweating. "I meant specifically not into girls romantically not that I'm into…no wait!"
Damien finally lowered the dumbbell, staring at me now.
"I mean," I rushed on, panicking, "sexuality is fluid and labels are fake and this is college and I was drunk emotionally last night…."
Riri's lips twitched. "Russ!"
"And also," I continued, "I didn't say I was into guys either…hypothetically like, if I were hypothetically…it wouldn't be…"
I gestured at myself.
Damien cleared his throat. "You don't have to explain."
That somehow made it worse.
"I'm explaining because it came out wrong," I said quickly. "What I meant was I'm not into girls the way people assume guys are automatically into girls. That's all. Very normal. Very… philosophical."
Zeke rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, man, whatever. It's not a big deal."
