Thank GoodnessWhere do you want this box? Troy asked. Hed been helping Ryan and Kaden move
� � �
into their new apartment along with Jordan for the last two hours. He was startingto sweat through his shirts, which was never very attractive. He hadnt expected
�
it to be so warm on this mid-September day. It was fall, for gods sake.
�
Ryan popped out of the hallway and into the living room to see what Troy wascarrying in. You can just put it on the kitchen counter, he said noticing the
� �
large black K written on the side of the cardboard box.
� �
Troy trudged over into the kitchen and set the box on the counter before turningaround and leaning on it to take a survey of the apartment. It was a nice sizetwo
�
bedrooms a full kitchen, dining room and an oversized living room. And to top itall off, it was only two blocks away from campus. Troy had no idea how Ryan hadbeen able to find such a nice apartment so close to school, but he figured hisfather had pulled a few strings. Which also explained why Ryan was taking themaster bedroom while Kaden took the other. Not that Troy was complaining. He wasmore than happy to share Ryans bathroom with him. It would more than likely prove
�
very useful when he stayed the night, which he planned on being very often. All heknew was that it was going to be much better than the residence halls they hadlived in last year.Then Jordan walked in through the door carrying another box. He walked over towhere Troy was standing and dropped the box on the table. I always knew Kaden was
�
dating me for my muscles, Jordan said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Hes
� � �
up here setting up house with Ryan while you and I get to play pack mule and lugup all these boxes.
�
Jordan was a good-looking guy. He was taller than all get out, but still, a goodguy. He stood taller than any of his friends at a little under six-and-a-halffeetmuch taller than Troy, who stood just under six feet. He had almost black
�
hair, which contrasted interestingly with his boyfriends near golden blond. He
�
looked like he could have played basketball, but had apparently never shown anyinterest. Instead, he enjoyed golf, which suited Troy just fine. The two werebound to find themselves on the golf course many times before this school year wasout. Jordan had been dating Ryans roommate Kaden since the end of their first
�
year at college and the two seemed to still be going strong.I know what you mean, Troy said, giving his friend a weak smile. Theyll
� � � �
probably dump us after weve finished providing the manual labor they need.
� �
Jordan just nodded his head solemnly. Well, I dont know about you, but Im ready
� � �
for a break, he said. I say we go on strike until our demands are met.
� � �
And what exactly are our demands? Troy asked, laughing at Jordans joke. The two
� � �
had become pretty good friends over the summer, thanks mostly to their boyfriends.Jordan had come with Kaden when he flew to New Mexico to visit Troy and Ryan overthe summer and the four had spent a week bonding together without the hassle ofclasses and college-caused drama.Ice cold lemonade and a back rub, Jordan said seriously. We wont lift another
� � � �
finger until our demands have been met!
�
As if it had been planned out, as soon as Jordan had finished speaking, Kaden cameout of what was soon to be his bedroom and walked into the kitchen. And just what
�
are you two talking about? he asked, noticing that the two were just standing
�
around staring at him.
Were talking about fair working conditions and appropriate pay, Jordan said.
� � �
Oh? Kaden asked, quirking an eyebrow. And what have you determined?
� � � �
We demand ice cold lemonade and back rubs before we move another box, Jordan
� �
said. Troy just stood back and watched the interplay between his two friends. Hewas glad that Kaden had found a worthy boyfriend in Jordan. God knows he had gonethrough enough with his former boyfriend. It was nice to see that these two wereso open with one another in front of other people and apparently when they werealone.What are they demanding? Ryan asked, coming out into the room just in time to
� �
hear the tail end of the conversation. He walked over and stood next to Troy whowrapped his arm around the blonds waist.
�
I guess theyre demanding sustenance and massages, Kaden said, turning to his
� � �
roommate. They said they wont do anything else until their demands are met.
� � �
Ryan just laughed and shook his head. Well, we better hurry up and meet them or
�
well never finish moving in, he said. Why dont you guys go sit on the couch?
� � � �
Kaden and I will be right there with refreshments for you manly men.
�
Jordan shot Troy a triumphant look, which was immediately wiped from his face whenKaden pinched his butt on his way to the kitchen. Troy just shook his head andmade his way through the jungle of boxes to find a seat on the plush leather couchRyans parents had delivered earlier that day. Troy found himself wishing the
�
movers had stayed to move the rest of Ryans crap into the place, too. Life just
�
wasnt fair sometimes.
�
No sooner had the two boys sat down than Ryan and Kaden entered with a few cans ofsoda and a box of crackers. Kaden went and took a seat next to Jordan while Troypulled Ryan down in his lap. Ew, Troy, Ryan whined. Youre all sweaty.
� � � � �
I thought you liked it when I got all sweaty, Troy whispered to Ryan as he
� �
nuzzled his boyfriends neck. Ryan just rolled his eyes, but stopped struggling
�
against Troys grip.
�
You two are sickeningly cute sometimes, you know that? Jordan said from his spot
� �
opposite the cuddling couple. At first I thought it was just cute. Now its just
� �
saccharinely sweet goo.
�
Kaden smacked his boyfriend lightly on the arm. Leave them alone, he said.
� �
No, its okay, Ryan said from his spot on Troys lap. Its mostly Troys fault
� � � � � � �
anyway. He was the same way with his girlfriend before we started dating. Hes
�
just got too much cuteness in him to keep it all bottled up.
�
Jordan just sat looking at the two, his eyes wide and his jaw open comically wide.What do you mean his girlfriend? he asked. Troy had a girlfriend? Why am I just
� � �
finding this out? Then turning on his boyfriend. Why dont you tell me things
� � �
like this?
�
Kaden just shrugged. He had known through his many conversations with Ryan thatTroy had dated a girl named Gabriella before they got together, but it had neverreally come up in conversation before now and it wasnt necessarily something you
�
just brought up all on your own.
Well, are you going to tell me about it or are you just going to let me sit here
�
and come up with all kinds of crazy stories on my own? Jordan asked. And trust
� �
me, I have a very over-active imagination.
�
Its not really that interesting, Ryan said, still sitting on Troys lap, his
� � � �
hand digging through the box of crackers. Troy dated a girl. Now hes not. End of
� �
story.
�
Thats one hell of a story, Jordan replied. I think this would be just the
� � � �
thing to get my lifting muscles back into gear.
�
Troy laughed. He really had no problem telling the story. Its not like he had
�
gone up against insurmountable odds, faced rageful friends and family and anentirely homophobic student body just so that he could date Ryan. It was just astory about someone finding out what he really wanted and going after it.Basically what everyone did at one point in his or her life. Troy just had to dealwith the added twist of questioning his sexuality. Still, it was an interestingstory if he did say so himself.Its okay, babe, Troy said, rubbing his hand up and down Ryans side. Just tell
� � � � �
the story. Its not like youre going to be unleashing some deep, dark secrets
� �
that only masochists would enjoy reading.
�
Ryan just huffed. I guess, he said. But I dont want to get stuck telling the
� � � �
whole thing. You always do this. You have to promise youll tell parts of the
�
story, too.
�
Fine, Troy said resituating himself on the couch so that Ryan wasnt putting
� � �
quite as much weight on his legs. You start and Ill cut in when I have something
� �
to say.
�
Okay, Ryan started. A long time ago, in a land far, far away there was a
� � �
stunning prince named Ryan who had the most stunning blond hair you had everseen
��
Troy clapped a hand over Ryans mouth, effectively cutting him off. Okay, he
� � �
said. Since youre going to be all melodramatic, I guess Ill have to tell the
� � �
story.
�
Ryan just shrugged and sat back, content to let Troy do all the talking. It wasthen, seeing the self-satisfied smirk on his boyfriends face, that Troy knew hed
� �
been duped. He shot one more look at Ryan before continuing with the story.So, it all started two years ago at the beginning of summer, right after this
�
talent competition at Ryans parents country club
� � ��
TWO YEARS EARLIERRyan stood at the bottom of the small hill near the outdoor patio of his parents
�
country club. He and the rest of the participants of the talent competition hadjust run down the grassy knoll it a fit of childhood exuberance. Sure, if peoplesaw it theyd say it was beyond cheesy, but who cares?
�
He stopped to watch the fireworks with his newfound friends and as the first fewwent off, he turned to look back toward the clubhouse. There, at the top of thehill, he saw Troy and Gabriella embracing and his heart sank. Sure, he was alreadyseeing someone and Troy had never shown any sign of being remotely interested inhim, even as a friend until this summer, but he had still held some irrational
Search History:
Result 00 of 00
00 results for result for
p.
Notes
Load more
