Chet Watakeekul

I pulled Vincent to the nearest bus stop and we sat on the bench. Vincent sank down low so that he could rest his head on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around Vincent's shoulders.

"It's cold," he mumbled.

"Oh, yeah." I straightened and grabbed the extra jacket I had carried with me. I had placed it next to my backpack on the bench. "Your jacket." I handed it to him.

He seemed genuinely surprised as he took the jacket from me and put it on. "Thank you. How did you even think to grab this?"

"Your mom said as we left to take your jacket." I found it odd that she was motherly in that moment after just basically disowning her son.

"I wasn't paying attention," he said as he swung his feet up to rest on the bench, his knees bent up to the sky. He eased down and put his head in my lap. I placed my hand over his chest. His heartbeat was steady underneath the palm of my hand. His fingers began to play with mine.

"What were you going to say?" he asked quietly.

"When?"

"In the apartment when I looked at you. You had your mouth opened as if you were going to say something." He looked down at his fingers playing with my own as he said this, almost as if he were afraid to look into my eyes.

"I was going to say don't worry. That I was there for you."

He smiled. It was a strange smile. One I had never quite seen on him before and his eyes filled with moisture. I wondered if I had done or said something wrong to make him sad. Then he shifted so his head was buried in my stomach and his arms wrapped around my waist. He hugged me tight - so tight it actually hurt a little. I stroked his hair not quite sure what else to do.

"I was afraid you were going to break up with me in an attempt to keep me from losing my family," he said against my stomach.

I stiffened. "That thought never occurred to me. Is that what I should have done because honestly I don't want to do that. They are not good for you. I am."

He pulled away from my stomach, but just so his head could rest on my thighs again. "No," he said. "Please don't ever do that. It might sound strange, but I feel relieved. I've waited my entire life for them to kick me out and instead of feeling hurt or sad I feel free."

I smiled down at him and ran my fingers through his messy hair. He would be mortified if he knew what it looked like at this moment. I flattened it as best as I could so it looked at least decent. I liked his hair messy, but I didn't really want anyone else to see that look as it was how he looked in bed. I heard the bus before I saw it. "The bus is almost here," I said.

Vincent sat up and grabbed his backpack. I swung my own over my shoulder.

"Wait," Vincent said as the bus stopped in front of us. "I don't have money for the bus."

The bus door swung open. "You have your university I.D. don't you?" He nodded. "That's all you need," I said. "All university students get to ride the bus for free. Just put your card on the reader and everything is taken care of."

He pulled out his student I.D. and stared at it with new respect. He was adorable sometimes. I stepped up onto the bus first and put my card to the reader. I stepped forward, but looked over my shoulder just to make sure he had no problems imitating what I had just done. He didn't. We sat in the very last row and he slunk again so he could rest his head on my shoulder.

"We didn't even get to shower," he said. "And I can skip breakfast, but you shouldn't."

"Don't worry. We'll get to shower and eat breakfast."

A few people looked at us strangely as they got on the bus, but no one said anything. Vincent was still and I wondered if he had fallen asleep. More people got on and off. Twenty minutes later we were at the university and we got off at my usual stop at the sports department.

Vincent followed me, but stopped me before we actually entered the building. "I don't think I'm allowed in there," he said.

I smiled at him and took his hand. "Don't worry, you're with me and I'm their favorite rising star at the moment." He looked skeptical. "They have a gym here. We'll go in and exercise for like a half hour, shower, eat breakfast and then go to classes."

"They'll let me shower here?" he whispered. I wasn't sure why he whispered. No one else was a round.

"If you're with me they will," I said.

"Then can I borrow your phone?" he asked. "I'll borrow some clothes from Alex."

I handed him my phone. He followed me inside the building. We had just started going down the quiet hall when he started talking.

"Hi, Aley." There was a short pause. "I know it's early. Sorry about that." He paused again, but I didn't think Alex spoke to him, but rather he was trying to gather his thoughts. "So...my mom walked in on me and Chet this morning. No," his voice changed to a whisper, but there was no one around so it didn't really matter. "We weren't having sex. We were just kissing." There was a small pause as we reached the locker room. It was the one the soccer players used. It was empty this time of day. He followed me inside. "Thanks, but Chet said he would take care of me. I need to borrow some clothes though. We're in the sports building right now. Okay. Thanks." He hung up and handed me my phone. "He said he and Mateo would be here shortly."

I nodded. We put our backpacks in my locker and then we went and ran on the track. I went slower than normal because it was clear even though he was fit, he wasn't going to be able to keep pace with me for half an hour.

When we got back to the locker room, Alex and Mateo were inside. Alex handed a bag of clothes to Vincent.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Thank you," Vincent said.

"They are really taking everything from you?" Mateo asked. "Even your clothes?"

Vincent shrugged. "They were paid for with money that wasn't mine," he said.

Mateo shook his head.

"Does this mean you're not hiding it anymore?" Alex asked us.

I looked at Vincent. I was ready to tell the world, but I also wanted to respect his wishes.

"I was only hiding it so my family wouldn't find out," Vincent said. "We don't have to hide it anymore."

The door opened right as he said the last sentence. Jimmy stepped in. His eyes drifted between the four of us, but lingered on Alex and Vincent. Neither of whom had ever been in our locker room before.

"Hide what?" he asked.

I took Vincent's hand in mine and entwined our fingers. "That Vincent is my boyfriend," I said.

Jimmy stood there and stared at the two of us a moment longer. I didn't think he would have a problem with it. He had been fine with Mateo and Alex. Most everyone on the team had been fine with them and those that weren't kept quiet because they were in the minority. That didn't mean they didn't give Mateo dirty looks and whisper behind his back, but I wasn't worried about that. I didn't care if I became the subject of their mean whispers.

Before the silence could stretch out too long, Jimmy smiled. "Chety's crush became real," he said in a teasing voice and then went to his locker.

"My mom's offer to stay with her is still open," Alex said.

"I have a plan," I said quickly because I wanted to be selfish and I didn't want Vincent away from me.

"Yes," Alex said. "Vinny told me that. I just wanted it known that her offer was a genuine one."

"Thanks, Alex," Vincent said.

"We've got to take a shower and eat breakfast before class," I said trying to usher Mateo and Alex out.

The locker room was empty after our shower. We quickly got dressed and I pulled him hand in hand to the breakfast buffet. Three football players were already there. They all noted my hand holding Vincent's.

Vincent mumbled he wasn't hungry when I tried to hand him a bagel, but I made him take it anyway. I was pretty sure he didn't want to eat because he was uncomfortable with the stares the football players were giving him.

"Who's this?" one of the football players asked me.

"My boyfriend," I said.

The three of them paused. Only one of them really seemed uncomfortable about it and he was one I didn't talk to much anyway so I didn't care.

"You're gay?" that one asked me.

"Demisexual," I said.

"What's that?" he asked.

"That means he has to be your friend before he'll be attracted to you," one of the other football players said, "so you don't have anything to worry about."

The first one who spoke, scowled at that, but didn't say anymore. He finished eating quickly and left.

"Be glad you're not on the football team," one of the remaining football players said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"It's filled with macho I have to prove my manliness men and they would not accept you."

"Even if they were secretly gay themselves," the other football player said.

And that made me wonder if they were secretly gay. But that probably wasn't likely and I was just reading too much into it.

I hurried and ate because I could tell Vincent felt like he wasn't supposed to be there and would get kicked out at any minute. Once we were back outside, I explained to him how to take the school shuttle and even looked up which stop he would need to take to get to class. We agreed to meet at the cafeteria for lunch and then we parted ways.

I got to my finance class 5 minutes late. The professor scowled at me, but didn't break in his lecture. I slipped into the seat next to Melissa. When class was over, I turned to Melissa and said, "I'm dating someone."

"I know," she said. "You told me before. I'm dating now too."

As far as I knew she was still dating Jimmy and Devon and they all seemed fine with that. I wasn't sure how long that could last though. Eventually one of them was going to grow serious.

"It's Vincent Kingsington," I said.

She paused and then a smile spread across her face. "That was why he was at the last game of the regular season."

I nodded.

"You're gay," and the relief was clear in her voice.

And it might have been best to just leave it at that, I was in a relationship with another man after all. Except, it felt deceptive somehow and unfair as if I was cheating those who were gay and cheating those who were demisexual. It probably didn't really mean anything to any of them, but it didn't sit well with me. It felt like a lie and I hated lies.

"Demisexual actually," I said.

"Oh," she said, but her smile didn't falter. "I'm glad Vincent found someone as nice as you."

We walked to the cafeteria together because she was going there to meet Devon anyway. We talked about finals next week.

Vincent waited for me on the sidewalk outside the cafeteria. I couldn't help but smile when I saw him. He smiled too.

"Bye," I hastily said to Melissa and rushed to Vincent's side.

It was Vincent's first time eating in the cafeteria. I made him go find us a table while I went to get the food. I didn't want him to worry about not having money to pay for food.

Before we went to our next classes, I showed him the bus stop to wait for me when classes were over. Alex had sent me a text telling me to bring Vincent over so he could borrow more clothes.

When we parted ways, I sent a text to my dad.

Me: I'm bringing someone home today. Make something delicious for dinner and make lots of it.

Dad: K. Love you son.

Me: Thanks dad. Love you too.

I thought about telling my dad then that Vincent was my boyfriend, but decided that it was better to have that conversation in person.

Vincent was already at the bus stop after class by the time I arrived. He smiled when he saw me and that smile made tendrils of happiness spread throughout me. Now that we didn't have to hide it, I immediately wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug. The other students at the bus stop barely paid any attention to us anyway. Vincent returned my hug and we held each other until the bus came.

When we got to Alex's apartment, Alex opened the door immediately as if he had been standing right behind the door just ready for us to appear.

"I've packed several clothes for you," Alex said, "but you might want to go through them and make sure they are what you want."

"I'm sure they are fine, Aley," Vincent said.

"They really kicked him out?" Mateo asked me when Vincent and Alex disappeared into the bedroom as if he still couldn't believe it. I nodded. "What is he going to do?"

"I've got a plan," I said.

"He's got a plan," Vincent said with a little smile on his face as he came back into the room.

"I'm not sure I'd trust that plan," Mateo said.

"You don't have to," Vincent said, "but I do."

"What is the plan?' Alex asked.

"I've got it all covered," I said.

The three of them stared at me - Mateo and Alex with doubtful expressions, but Vincent with a smile on his handsome face. They waited a few moments longer until it was clear I wasn't going to provide anymore information.

"Did you call Trevon yet and tell him?" Alex asked.

"Not yet," Vincent said.

Alex pulled his phone out. "You should call him."

He started to hand his phone to Vincent, but I rushed between them with my phone. "Call on my phone so he'll have my contact info," I said.

Vincent took my phone and called. We waited a moment and then Vincent said into the phone, "It's me. This is Chet's phone. My mom walked in on us this morning...No we weren't having sex, just kissing. She kicked me out." Vincent's golden eyes flickered to me. "Chet says he has a plan...No I don't need any money. I don't think so anyway. I'll let you know if I change my mind."

"I have a plan," I called out so Trevon could hear. "He doesn't need money."

"Okay," Vincent said into the phone while he smiled at me. "I'll keep you updated. Bye." He hung up and handed the phone back to me.

"Do you want a ride to where you're going?" Alex asked us. Vincent now had 3 bags - his backpack, the bag Alex had brought him that morning and the bag he had just retrieved from Alex's room. I took one of the bag's from him.

"No," I said. "We'll take the bus."

"Let me know if you need anything else," Alex said to us as we left his apartment.

"It's going to be fine, Vincent," I said. "I've got it handled."

"I believe you," he said.