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“Hello,” I tell them, not knowing what to expect at all, but Carter told me they’re good people, and that they wouldn’t make fun of me. He asked me to trust him. “It’s nice to meet you all.”

I get a variety of greetings and a big smile from Hawk, who walks closer, dragging his husband until they’re sitting next to me, with Hawk between Derek’s legs and his back resting against Derek’s chest.

“I’m really glad you came,” he tells me, and his smile tells me he’s telling the truth. “Wolf is too, though he won’t say it. But we don’t have a lot of people who we’ve known all our lives, you know?”

It takes me a moment to realize he means I’m... important to them?

That’s unexpected.

And it makes me realize something.

“I’m glad I came too,” I murmur.

“Liam’s awesome,” he tells the rest of the group, who have all found spots on the grass to sit until we’re in a circle. “He’s super smart, and he’s the best piano player ever, and he’s one of the best people.”

This time it’s his words that sound different, but because I know him a bit better than Carter, I know they’re defiant.

“Yeah, you guys should hear this research he’s done and the app he’s developing,” Carter says and shakes his head with his eyes wide open. “It’s amazing.”

“What was your research?” Glenn asks. At least I’m pretty sure he’s Glenn because he’s sitting very close to George.

So I explain, giving him the more condensed version compared to my explanation to Carter.

“That’s amazing,” Glenn whispers and looks around, a slow smile spreading on his face.

“You guys finally found another smart one,” he cries out, and bursts out laughing when protests immediately burst out of everyone else.

He clearly doesn’t care because he turns back to me.

“So you’re a savant,” he concludes. I guess me being Autistic is obvious?

It isn’t for everyone, at least not in my experience.

“I am. Though my parents have told me that when I say it like that some people interpret it as bragging. I don’t know what I have to brag about, but that’s why I don’t say it. How did you know?”

“Oh, I have a few friends at MIT who are Autistic. I guess I know the signs by now.” His careless expression has me relaxing.

He’s not judging me, clearly, because he keeps talking to me and looking at me even when my gaze is focused on the speck of light over his shoulder.

“People are assholes, and most of them don’t know a savant isn’t only someone very smart and talented in a specific field but also someone who’s Autistic.

And music is your thing, right? Do you have perfect pitch? ”

I don’t know how he came to that conclusion, but I nod wordlessly.

“That’s awesome. I know very little about psychology and sound manipulation, but your research and app sound amazing.”

I falter for a moment, suddenly not knowing what to say to him, but then I remember Carter already gave me the “cheat sheet” as he called it.

“You’re a physicist, right?”

And that’s all Glenn needs to keep the conversation going for another few minutes. Everyone else is caught up in other conversations, but I tune them out and focus only on Glenn until a growl sounds just beyond our circle.

“What are you all doing all the way up here?” Wolf demands. It’s no hardship to recognize anger. “You’re supposed to be enjoying the party,” he states. He lets go of CJ’s hand and crosses his arms over his chest, and looks down at all of us with that angry frown firmly in place.

“We are enjoying the party, poopy pants,” Hawk tells him with a smile on his face. I guess if there’s anyone who won’t take Wolf’s anger seriously, it’s Hawk. Just like my brothers never let up with me.

“Yeah, Wolfie,” Derek calls out, using the same nickname Hawk has for their whole life. “Relax.”

“Come on, Max. Let’s sit and talk with our friends for a while,” CJ pipes up, forcibly grabbing Wolf’s hand again and pulling him to sit next to Derek and Hawk. “We’ve been running around all day.”

Wolf doesn’t protest at all, so I guess CJ also has Wolf wrapped around his finger.

“You’re so whipped,” Carter says in the silence, and I’m impressed with his bravery as he mimics the sound of a whip.

I’m familiar with the expression of being whipped in relation to people who are romantically involved, so I chuckle along with everyone else.

“No more growly wolf,” Carter adds when we all quiet down. “Now you’re a well-trained puppy.”

“I’ll show you well trained,” Wolf mutters, but he doesn’t make a move toward Carter, and when everyone goes back to their conversations, I see the corner of his mouth lift just a tiny bit.

After that, I keep talking to Glenn, and eventually Theo joins us. He tells me how grateful he is that Dad played at his wedding even almost two years later, and invites me to come by his bakery when we’re back in the city.

I talk one-on-one with most of them over the next few hours, and confirm Carter’s statements. They are all really nice people, and my guess is that Carter told a few of them about verbally expressing their emotions because a few of them do, especially Adam.

All the while, I’m aware that Carter is next to me. That lovely tone of his voice is always in the background, bringing me a peace I didn’t know I needed. I feel surprisingly calm even surrounded by so many people, and though I’m sure I’ll analyze every possible reason why, for now I let myself be.

By the time the group trudges back down to where the party is being held, I have a sense of hope that’s new for me.

A lot of these people live in New York, and maybe, just maybe, I might’ve made a few friends tonight.

I forgot what that felt like, though this time it’s better.

Because this time I know for a fact that none of these men need me or my family to find success.