Trevon Carter

I readjusted my maroon tie and straightened my black suit jacket. I looked good. Maybe too good.

"Just tonight," I said out loud to myself. "You can survive tonight and break up with her tomorrow." I almost broke up with Alice a week ago, but I knew tonight's performance - the first of the school year - was important to her and I didn't want our breakup to affect her performance. Satisfied with the way I looked, I left my apartment.

I stopped on my way to get flowers. I had envisioned a large bouquet, but then decided that might lead her on when I was going to break up with her so instead I bought one yellow rose.

I drove to the dance hall and went inside. Alice had got me the ticket. If I had picked my seat, it wouldn't have been in the middle of the aisle. I clambered over the people that were already in their seats apologizing as I stepped over someone's legs only to step on the next person's foot. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally sat. These seats were clearly not designed for someone with long legs and I was not looking forward to be scrunched like that for the rest of the night.

The junior dance majors were the first to take the stand. They danced as soloists, duets and small groups. Next were the freshmen. They were not nearly as good as the juniors. The sophomores were next so I kept my eyes open for Alice. She said her performance was going to be a duet. Students came out, danced and exited, but still no Alice. She had to have been the last of the sophomores.

Alice finally came out on the stage with her partner and my heart stopped. For a moment, my entire body froze and I forgot how to breathe. Alice was beautiful. Her strawberry blond hair was pulled up in a tight bun. Her stage makeup accented all her features in the right way. But her partner...he was stunning. Breathtaking. Literally, my breath was gone. His skin was so dark it had a bluish tint. He was lithe, graceful, every muscle was defined to perfection and the tights he wore left little to the imagination. I mean, there were some details I did have to imagine and I did. As they danced, as they moved gracefully across the stage, as he expertly lifted her into the air, all I could think about was him naked underneath me.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and glanced at the people on either side of me. They of course didn't know my thoughts. Their eyes were focused on the dancers, not at the perverted thoughts of the college student next to them.

I was here for Alice. My last gift as a boyfriend before I broke up with her. The least I could do was pay attention to her while she danced. I turned my attention back to the stage, but I could only see him. Even when Alice was in his arms, I only saw him.

The dance was over too soon and they were off the stage. Last to take the stage were the seniors and they were great, but I couldn't focus on anything anymore. I wanted to give Alice the yellow flower, break up with her tomorrow and dream of her dance partner tonight. Did that make me a terrible boyfriend? Maybe.

The performances were finally over. Everyone in the audience gave a standing ovation so I did too, even though I thought the performances didn't really warrant it. Then I thought of the stunning male ballet dancer and changed my mind. I clapped louder than those next to me. I shuffled out into the hallway with everyone else. There were dancers in the halls gladly accepting the congratulations of the audience.

Alice smiled and waved when she saw me. I made my way through the crowds to her. She was still in her costume and makeup. Her hair was still up.

"You were great," I told her.

"Thanks," she smiled warmly. "Is that for me?"

I looked down at the forgotten rose in my hand. I held it out to her. She took it and brought it up to her heart as if she could merge the two together.

"It's beautiful," she said.

"So are you," I said. I regretted it when her smile got larger. I really needed to learn how to break up with people better.

"Are you still up for giving me a ride home?" she asked.

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"Of course," I said. It was what I had agreed to do after all.

"Come on back and wait for me then," she said. "I need to get changed."

She took my hand and led me through the crowds back through the halls. The halls were emptier now and we only ran into an occasional dancer who Alice always greeted warmly.

She dropped my hand when we reached a door. "Wait here," she said.

She went inside and I rested my back against the wall of the hallway as I waited. She ended up taking longer than I thought she would so I took out my phone and looked through it to pass the time.

"Are you Alice's boyfriend?" a bright voice asked me.

I looked up from my phone and my heart fluttered. Standing in front of me was the stunning man Alice had danced with. He was now in jeans and a t-shirt. He was even more handsome up close. I had known for a long time that I was bisexual. Actually, I had known since the third grade when Alex said he wanted to marry a boy and the other boys in class made fun of him. That was when I decided I had to keep it secret. I already got made fun of for the color of my skin, I didn't need to give them anymore reason to make fun of me. By high school, I didn't care anymore. I almost came out then. But just when I decided I would admit I was bi, the Jason incident happened and all my focus went to helping Alex cope with it.

"Yes," I said. "I'm Trevon."

"Arthur," Alice's dance partner said. He looked me up and down hungrily and I swallowed hard at the desire his look inflamed in me.

"How did you know I was her boyfriend?"

"She shows us pictures of you all the time. She thinks you are the greatest thing ever. Actually," he leaned in close and whispered to me so that I felt his breath on my ear, "it's scary how great she thinks you are." He straightened and smirked as I shuddered.

"Come outside with me," he said cheerfully.

Yes. I wanted that very much. Too much. "Alice told me to wait here," I said.

Arthur waved a dismissive hand. "She'll know where to find you. Come on." His warm hand closed around my wrist and heat spread through me. Almost everyone had filed out by that time. The cool, night air touched my cheeks. The air was fresh. I felt like I could breathe. He led me to the side of the building and finally let go of my wrist. "What did you think of the dance?" Arthur asked.

"It was beautiful," I answered honestly. I leaned back against the brick wall of the building. Arthur put his shoulder up against the wall as he faced me. He was a few inches shorter than me. His dark hair was shaved close to his head.

"Alice was beautiful tonight," Arthur said.

I stared at him longer than was proper, but he stared right back.

"You both were beautiful," I said quietly.

His dark eyes opened wide. "Careful there, sweetie," he said. "I don't do threesomes and neither does Alice."

I laughed because that hadn't been in my thoughts at all. And the way he said it was endearing.

"That's not what I meant," I said.

"You have an attractive laugh," he said. "No. What am I saying? I can't flirt with Alice's boyfriend. She'll accuse me of stealing you away from her again."

I raised an eyebrow at this. "You've stolen her boyfriend before?"

"No," he said, "but last year when her boyfriend broke up with her that's what she accused me of doing, but honestly I didn't like her boyfriend and never saw him again after he broke up with her."

"I'm breaking up with her tomorrow," I said.

He looked aghast. "Because of me?" He put a hand over his heart.

I laughed again. "No. Not because of you. I almost broke up with her last week, but she had already bought my ticket to tonight's performance and I thought coming here was the least I could do."

"You're a lot nicer than her last boyfriend. I think. Maybe you're a jerk. What do I know? Why are you breaking up with her?"

I shifted so I was closer to him. "She's clingy in a creepy way."

Arthur nodded. The light on the building shown down on him. I had a sudden desire to touch his lips with my fingers, but I refrained.

"I can see that," he said quietly.

I moved away from the wall so I stood in front of him and his back was now to the wall. I stared down at his luscious, full lips. He licked them as if taunting me, but his breathing changed and I knew he was feeling this as much as I was.

"I don't date cheaters," he whispered.

"I'm not a cheater," I replied, but realized my head was closer to his than it had been a moment before. "I'm breaking up with her tomorrow."

His hand came on my shoulder and he pushed me back slightly.

"Give me your phone," he said.

I handed it to him. He typed something on my phone and then his own phone beeped. He handed me my phone and took his own out of his pocket. I looked at my phone. He had saved his phone number in my phone as Beautiful Art.

He showed me the screen of his phone and I saw that he saved my number as Tall Dark and Handsome. I smiled.

"Call me when you're single," he said quietly.

I nodded and took a step back even though I wanted to step forward.

Alice rounded the corner of the building at that moment. "There you are," she said. Her smile faltered when she saw Arthur. "Trying to steal my boyfriend again?" Her voice was light, but I didn't miss the hardness in her gray eyes.

"No. I don't steal boyfriends," Arthur said.

"I was just teasing," she said as she stepped forward and took my hand. It was clear that she had not been teasing. She pulled me away from Arthur to the other side of the parking lot.

"What about him?" I asked her. "Does he need a ride?"

"No," she scoffed. "He's got a car."

I looked back at Arthur. He had keys out and was heading to a fancy red car. It fit him.

"It was nice to meet you, Arthur," I called out to him.

He smiled brightly. "You too, Trevon."