That doesn’t seem like such a big deal. “That’s fine. We have been together a lot.”

“No, I mean, like, I told him you’re the person I hang out with all the time.” Sean has that tone like he’s explaining tides to a merbabe.

“Sure, since we met yesterday, we’ve spent a good chunk of it together.”

“Well, I mean.” Sean looks into the green pool again, gathering his thoughts. “I told him you’re more my significant other, and kind of wanted him to think we’re hooking up.”

His words are like a slap to the face. “Hooking up?” I knew it. He is telling me that he hangs up fish to die. “Please don’t tell me that means what I think it means.”

Sean looks like he wants to barf. Good. Let him feel guilty about his cruelty.

“You really don’t know what that is? It’s sort of when you, um, get naked and . . . share yourselves with each other. What do you call it where you’re from?”

“Oh! You told Dominic that we’re a couple. Like, together together.”

Sean chews his cheek again. “Yeah. Specifically, I told him you were my partner since you’re nonbinary and I didn’t want to give you a gendered label.”

Wow, that was thoughtful of him. He actually listened and knew how weird it felt that this world so quickly assigned me boy. His first thought was to make sure that I was comfortable with—Wait. His first thought wasn’t to make sure that I was comfortable with how I was labeled, it was to say that I am hooking up with him.

“You told Dominic we’re getting naked together?” A wave of heat flushes my entire body.

Sean looks like he’s just seen a shark. “Not technically, but I hoped that was the vibe D got. You know, to make him jealous.”

There’s only one thing to do, one reaction that could fully encompass the anger I’m feeling.

I push him.

Hard.

Right into the pool.

     Sean     

For the second time today, I’m unexpectedly falling into the water. But this time, I really had it coming. I’d be angry too if some guy I’d just met wanted strangers to think we were having sex. Fuck, I am just as big a bag of dicks as Dominic. Some welcome I gave Ross. Hey, hope you enjoy Los Angeles, you’re cute, so I’m going to let people assume we bone.