Summer City Blues

Adrian and Cole were living the postgrad dream. An industrial loft in the heart of the East Downtown district of Summer City. The two friends had decided to continue living together as Adrian attended law school and Cole figured out exactly what he wanted in his PhD program. With bright futures ahead, nothing should be dampening their spirits.

And yet…

The two men were unlucky in love and each had been in a months long slump. Adrian, at least, had an excuse. Between school, work and trying to stay fit, that left very little time for a social life. Cole, however, had just been striking out.

A fact that intensely bothered Cole.

'This is Summer City, all the pills, gadgets and general debauchery…and I can’t close to save my life,' he thought to himself. Even his algorithms had picked up on it. In the week and a half leading up to Spring Break, his feeds had been flooding with X-change pill ads.

“A New You. A Better You and the Best Sex of Your Life.” The ads had been relentless and finally worn him down. Considering the gossip Cole had heard around campus of some guys in his program having taken some pills and having a blast; Cole finally in and bought some. ‘Best sex of my life,’ he thought as ordered the pills plus they come with an inbuilt birth control. All of the fun, and none of the consequences. ‘Except disease, they were super clear about that.’ The two-day delivery period was agonizing as nervous knots tied Cole's stomach in circles. He couldn’t believe he actually ordered it and spent the entire delivery cycle glued to his phone.

*ping*

Cole raced to meet the delivery driver, the box was discreet with no branding but the driver gave Cole a knowing glance. “Summer City…Spring Break,” Cole said with a sheepish grin before heading inside. As he grabbed a glass of water, Cole examined the pill in his hand. The anticipation caused nervous energy to swell in Cole’s chest. Just as he was about to take it, the front door swung open.

“Honey, I’m home,” Adrian quipped as he came in. Shocked by his roommates sudden arrival, Cole dropped the pill into the glass. As Adrian rounded the corner, he saw Cole standing with a glass of water, looking like a deer in the headlights.

“You good? Can I drink that, I’m dying,” Adrian said as he reached for the glass. Before Cole could find a reason to object, Adrian had chugged half of it. “Oh shit,” Cole thought to himself.