Trevon Carter

"How's your new job going?" I asked Ryan. He sat across from me. We were in the cafeteria eating at one of the many tables. There was a continual hum of students chatting, walking and eating.

"Good," he said. "It's keeping me pretty busy though. I probably won't be able to have lunch with you that often."

"That's fine," I said. Why had it never occurred to me before to eat lunch with Arthur? Maybe I just always assumed he ate with friends. Our lunches might not even align. I should at least find out.

"How's it going with your boyfriend?" he asked me.

"Great," I said. We each had a slice of pizza. I couldn't eat this with Arthur. "Do you think it's going to last?" Ryan asked.

"I hope so," I said.

"Because he is going to graduate a year earlier than you. Is he going to stay here with you while you continue college?"

I hadn't thought about that. If the subject popped up in my head, I purposely removed it.

"He wants to dance in New York," I said.

"I was going to suggest he find a dancing troupe somewhere near where you work when you get a job with NASA. That isn't an option in New York."

"I know," I said.

"Does it have to be New York? If he loves you, he'll understand that NASA has been your dream since you were little." Ryan and I both wanted to work for NASA so it was easy to talk to him about my dreams and future plans.

"Dancing in New York is his dream though," I said quietly. I really didn't want to discuss this now. A heavy knot formed in my stomach whenever I thought of it which was why I purposely didn't think of it. "We still have three years before he graduates. I'm not going to think about it yet."

"Okay," he said as if he thought that was a mistake.

"Stop being such a realist," I said.

"Okay," he said more cordially. He changed the discussion to schoolwork.

When I got home, I got on my laptop and looked at men's lingerie. I hadn't forgotten Arthur's words that he would wear it for me if I got it for him. I had looked when he first mentioned it, but found I was more embarrassed than I thought I would be looking at lingerie that revealing on men. And some of the lingerie was really strange. One had an alligator's head for the crotch. Another had a banana in the same place. But now that I had gotten rid of that ring - I sold it to a jeweler who was going to melt it down - I wanted to get Arthur something specific from me.

I refined my search to specifically look at red, lace lingerie simply because I thought he would look great in it. I was surprised at how femine some of them looked, but they were definitely for men. Honestly, there were a lot I wanted to see on him, but I would start with just one. I might have a heart attack if he modeled all of them for me at once. And I planned to be with him for a long time so I could always get more. I settled on one that had ribbons on the sides that tied into little bows. He wouldn't be turned off by the bows would he? I didn't think he would. It seemed like something he would like. I ordered it.

Before I closed my laptop, I checked my email. I had gotten tested for STDs shortly after my conversation with Arthur. Well, it had been less of a conversation and more of a talk in a heated moment. My pants began to tighten as I remembered the experience on the couch when we gave each other blowjobs.

Anyway, I had been tested and got results back on some of the tests and was just waiting for the results on others. Some test results were quicker than others. There was an email from the doctor's office with the test results. Everything came back negative. I was in good health.

I did my homework. I checked my phone when I was through. Arthur would still be practicing his dance with Danny. I decided to call Alex while I waited for time to pass.

"Hi," Alex said when he answered.

"Hi," I said. "How are things going with your boyfriend?"

"Good," he said with a lilt in his voice. "He's sitting next to me right now. We are working on our chemistry assignment."

"Tell him 'hi'," I said.

Alex said, "Trevon says, 'hi'."

"Hi," a voice in the background said.

"He says 'hi' back," Alex said into the phone. If it had been Arthur, he would have been all over me trying to grab the phone out of my hand. Our boyfriends were different.

"Vincent hasn't been giving you anymore grief about dating him?"

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"Well, yeah, but he hasn't tried anything more to break us up...I don't think anyway. Maybe he is just getting sneakier about it."

I almost volunteered to talk to Vincent about it again, but I was sure Alex would tell me not to. If I didn't ask for permission, I could just do it. I'd think about that.

"I think things are good at the moment," Alex said.

My phone beeped with a text message. I pulled the phone away from my ear just long enough to see it was a message from Arthur.

"Good," I said as I put my phone back to my ear. "I'm going to go now. I think Arthur is on his way home and I should freshen up a bit before I go over."

"Okay," Alex said. "I'm glad you are dating him. He seems like a nice person."

"He is," I said. "I love him."

Alex squealed at that. I chuckled. "I'm going to go now. Thanks for calling."

"You called me," Alex reminded me.

"Oh right. Well, thank me for calling you then."

He laughed. I could just imagine him shaking his head at me. "Thanks for calling me," he said. "Bye."

We hung up. I pulled up the text from Arthur.

Beautiful Art: I'm on my way home. Come over. I'll make dinner. Pick something up for yourself if you don't want chkn and veggies.

Me: I'll have what you're having. I'll be there soon.

I went into the bathroom and freshened up. I made sure I had a few extra condoms in my pocket. My phone beeped again with a message.

Alice: How R U

Why was she texting me now? I thought she was finally leaving us alone. Should I ignore it? I put my phone in my pocket without answering. I grabbed the keys and had my hand on the door handle when I got another text. I pulled out my phone.

Alice: Things ok w Arthur?

I had wanted to ignore her, but since she mentioned Arthur, I couldn't.

Me: Things are great with Arthur. I love him.

That should do it. I was clear that I was in love and happy with Arthur. She should leave me alone now. I exited my apartment, double checked it locked behind me, and started to walk to the elevator.

Alice: Don't u ever think about me

Me: No.

I got on the elevator and started down.

Alice: I think about u. I pleasure myself every night remembering your touch, your body, your voice.

The elevator door opened, but I forgot to get off.

Me: Stop. I don't want you to use me like that. We're not together. Find someone else. I never think of you anymore. I have Arthur.

The elevator door opened again. I stepped out and went to my car.

Alice: We could still sleep together. Arthur never has to know. I can keep it a secret.

Me: No. I don't want you. I only want Arthur. I've been together with him longer than I ever was with you. Stop this or I'm going to block your number.

I sat in my car with my hands tight around the steering wheel. My body tensed with repulsion and disgust from the conversation. I waited before I started the car up to see if she would respond. After several minutes of silence, my body slowly relaxed, my breathing came easier. I drove to Arthur's apartment.

"Hi, handsome," he said as he answered the door with a bright smile on his face. The rest of the tension faded away in his beauty. I stepped into the apartment and wrapped my arms around his waist. I hugged him tightly to me and breathed in his scent.

"Everything alright?" he asked as his arms came around my neck to return my embrace.

"I love you," I said.

He pulled back to look into my face with a smile so bright it could melt the sun. "I love you too," he said.

I handed him my phone with Alice's messages pulled up. His smile faded as he read through the messages. "This bitch," he muttered.

"Has she been giving you problems?" I asked him.

He handed my phone back and led the way back into the kitchen.

"No," he said. He dished up the chicken and vegetables onto two plates. "She's been giving me dirty looks since I announced to everyone that you said you love me." He gave me a sheepish grin as he set the plates on the table and sat across from me. "I probably should have been more discreet about it. I was just so happy."

I smiled at that.

"I'll keep an eye out," Arthur said. "If she tries anything, or if I hear of her trying anything, I'll let you know."

"Hopefully, she'll stop contacting me now," I said.

"Block her if she doesn't," he said. "Should we block her now?"

"No," I said. "Let's give her the chance to stop on her own first."

"Okay," he said.

"What do you want to do with the money we received when I sold your ring?" I asked.

He thought about that for a moment as he chewed a bite of chicken. "Let's use it to go to fancy restaurants. Every once in awhile I need a break from all this healthy food. It just can't be too often."

"Okay," I said.

After dinner, we settled on his couch. He did his homework while I read. I was all caught up on his mother's books so I was reading something different this time.

"Finished," he said. He put his book and assignment on the coffee table and stretched his arms out high above him. "Now, I can watch my reality show," he said. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He settled back next to my side and curled his arms around my arm. I held the book with my free hand and continued to read.

His phone rang. "Hiiii," Arthur said in his cheerful voice as he answered.

"Who is it?" I whispered to him.

"Scott," he whispered back.

"Put it on speaker," I said. He gave me a look. "What?" I asked. "You always tell me to put my friends on speaker."

"Can I put you speaker?" Arthur said into the phone. "Trevon wants to hear our conversation."

I frowned at him, but he didn't care. He took the phone away from his ear and put it on speaker. "Say hello to each other," he said.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," an unfamiliar voice said.

"So how'd it go?" Arthur asked the phone. "Did you tell that guy about your gay friend from high school?"

"Yeah, but I still don't know what to think," Scott said.

"Why? How did he react?"

"He just said it was good I could reconnect with my friend."

"Hmm," Arthur said. "That could go either way. Should I visit home again and flirt with him?"

"No," both Scott and I said at the same time. Arthur looked at me as if I was being unreasonable, but I didn't think it was unreasonable to not want my boyfriend to flirt with someone who might be gay and get the wrong impression.

"What if he ends up interested in you instead of me," Scott said.

"You have a point," Arthur said. "I am pretty irresistible. I guess the next step is to ask him to hang out as friends. Even if he ends up not being interested in you as a boyfriend, at least you'll have gained a friend."

"Alright. I'll try that. Thanks for letting me call and talk to you about it. I don't have anyone else I can talk to."

"Of course," Arthur said.

They hung up and Arthur went back to cuddling with me as he watched his show. That conversation made me slightly more relieved about Arthur reconnecting with an old boyfriend. If it had just been an old friend, I wouldn't have any doubts. I trusted Arthur, but I didn't know Scott. It did sound like Scott just needed a friend though. Maybe in the future even Scott and I could become friends.