Disclaimer: The following story contains activity that would be considered of homosexual nature between consenting college students. While none of it crosses into a gratuitous nature, if such material is offensive to you or you are not of the legal age to read such material in your area, please do not. Other than that, please enjoy the story!
The Living Years
Chapter 12 "Perilous Circumstance"
"You know, for a mid September afternoon it could stand to be a little cooler out," Jesse grumbled as he titled his head sideways sighing.
"Who asked you to come anyway?" Noah asked, sounding just as peeved as Jesse just then.
"I did," Grace replied.
"Without informing me there'd be no place at least I could buy refreshments from," Jesse added. "I've never been so parched."
"Well since you're homeless now, you'll get used to it," Noah said, happy with his statement.
"Guys can we just watch the game please?" Trey asked.
He, Zoey, Grace, Noah and Jesse were all in attendance of one of Shawn's football games outside the in the dorm courtyard. Each dorm hall had its own football league, which played each other each week, non-competitively. The Ark Hall dorm hall's football team was called the Penthouse Pimps.
Meanwhile, Trey hadn't even been aware that Shawn was on any football teams. Sure it wasn't official, that much was obvious. None of the 14 guys playing were wearing any type of football equipment. A few of them even looked like they'd just shown up right after classes without bothering to change into any kind of athletic clothing.
"I never fully understood why you American's call a sport with a ball you throw around football," Jesse spoke, more just to be speaking than anything else. "Of course, you do everything else backwards anyway."
"Maybe it's because we're just smarter than everyone else," Noah replied.
Jesse looked over at Noah amused.
"Oh yes, I'll keep that in mind next time I'm visiting the California movie star governor," he replied. "That's always been a dream of mine. Waking up one day, deciding I wanna be in charge of a place, and getting the job."
"Got news for ya," Noah started. "Ain't gonna happen."
"Okay!" Zoey suddenly spoke up, transplanting herself in between Jesse and Noah. "Let's watch us some good old American football shall we?"
"Yes, please direct me to THAT game," Jesse replied. "This one's rather barbaric."
Trey was trying his best not to pay attention to Jesse, but hadn't realized how much he was until he noticed Shawn walking towards him. What caught him off guard was the fact that he was dripping with sweat, completely shirtless, the wife beater he'd been wearing before tucked into his back pocket.
"Hey," Shawn smiled, as he leaned over the bottom row of the bleachers next to Trey.
"Uh, hey," Trey replied, trying to keep himself under control as the sweat on Shawn's back glistened in the sun.
"They're good," Shawn replied. "Kicking our asses out there, I'm telling you."
"Big surprise there," Jesse muttered. "Half the team can't play worth shit now can they?"
"Refreshment time?" Grace said, looking over at Zoey.
"Yep," she replied, standing up as she took Jesse's left arm while Grace stood up and took his right.
"But I thought no one thought to serve any?" Jesse asked, sounding slightly confused as Grace and Zoey started leading him back towards the dorm cafeteria.
Trey watched them go but when he turned back around noticed that Shawn was smiling over him like he was proud of something.
"What?" Trey asked. "I don't have a roach in my hair again do I?"
"Sorry again about that," Shawn laughed. "I guess there really is a good reason to keep shit clean."
There was a brief moment where Trey once again felt uncomfortable to be around both Noah and Shawn at the same time but it mostly passed once Shawn started speaking.
"So I was thinking that after the game maybe you and I could go out? Get a bite to eat?"
Trey was a bit taken back by the request. For nearly two weeks he and Shawn had pretty much been putting off talking about whatever there might have been between them but now it seemed he was more than okay with embracing it.
Meanwhile Trey was still feeling nervous to act on anything, especially with Noah sitting right next to him. When he looked over at him, it almost seemed like he was doing his best to act like he wasn't close enough to hear them talking or paying attention at all, when in reality he knew that he was.
"Um..." Trey started.
He wasn't really sure what to do mostly because he hadn't quite sorted through all his feelings. What if it was Noah he really liked? Then what going out with Shawn do for that situation? Sure he knew that Shawn probably didn't want to go out tonight like a date of some kind, but he wondered how Noah would see things.
That was what he hated the most. Having to worry about what one would think of the others actions and how he himself chose to respond to them.
Trey was about to force himself to make a choice when all of a sudden Noah went from sitting right next to him to falling into the row of bleachers in front of them. Luckily they weren't very crowded as huge amounts of people didn't really show up to the dorm hall games anyway.
"Oh my god, Noah!" Trey exclaimed jumping up and leaping down to the row. "Are you okay?"
"Shit!" Noah blurted out. "What was I thinking?"
"Maybe you're high," Shawn mumbled. "Trey doesn't like the dopehead type."
"Yeah, and just what is his type, loser?" Noah asked as Trey helped him up.
"Guys," Trey started, feeling like he had no control over what was happening.
Noah glared at Shawn as he stood up.
"Don't you got a ball to throw around?" he asked.
Trey stood up slowly looking over at Shawn who was glaring at Noah. For a moment, it nearly looked like things would turn to punches being thrown. But it subsided when Shawn decided to take the high road and leave, Noah staring heavily as he left.
"Noah, are you sure you're okay?" Trey asked after a few moments.
Noah looked over at him and smiled while taking a seat.
"Sure," he replied. "Don't worry about it okay?"
"You sure? Because we could always-"
"You know it's funny, they run around knocking the hell out of each other and are most likely dumber than dirt but get paid millions anyway, these tossers do," Trey could hear Jesse saying as he made his way back over to he and Noah.
"You get hundreds of thousands of dollars put into a trust fund just for surviving to your next birthday each year," Zoey replied. "I'd say that just about makes it even."
"Not by a long shot I'm afraid," Jesse replied. "Besides do you have any idea how impossibly difficult it is to keep from getting kidnapped and sold to some Guatemalan mountain bandits for a ransom fee?"
"Do you?" Grace asked.
"I'm starting to think we'll never see this damn game," Trey half joked.
"Boy please, what does yo ass know about some football?" Grace asked.
"I'm just hoping the poor git doesn't ask me any questions about his performance on the field. Or lack thereof," Jesse said.
"Hey, they're winning, you know," Trey commented.
"Yes I'm sure that piece of information would mean something to someone somewhere," Jesse sighed.
"You know what, how about you go home and find something else to do," Grace started. "Oh wait...that's right."
"I try not to think of my misfortune at all hours of the day," Jesse mumbled. "Thanks for reminding me otherwise."
"You wanna get out of here?" Noah asked, leaning closer to Trey's ear so that he could hear the question clearly.
When Shawn had asked him to do something alone, he wasn't really sure what to say. Now Noah was doing the same thing. Only because of the circumstances of his current situation, he didn't really feel all that hesitant.
"Yeah," he replied getting up, Noah following his lead.
"Uh, where the hell are ya'll going?" Grace asked, noticing them heading down the stands. "The game ain't over yet."
"I think maybe we should stay out of this one," Zoey spoke up for them.
"Oh Jesus Christ, they aren't going off to shag each other are they?" Jesse asked in half disgust.
"Boy where is yo mind today? Shit," Grace sighed.
"So I guess I can rule out football as being something you're into huh?" Trey asked as he and Noah sat in his room in the desk chairs chatting.
"Depends on who's playing," Noah replied, somewhat bitterly.
Trey knew better than to try and touch that one.
"Jesse can be a little crazy," Trey said.
"A little?" Noah asked.
"But I like him. He did help save my life."
"Because he didn't have anything else to do what with being homeless and all," Noah spat back. "Speaking of which, how long do you plan on letting him stay here with you? These dorms aren't really made for more than two people, you know?"
Trey shrugged.
It honestly wasn't really something he'd thought about. He didn't have any particular issues with Jesse. Jesse, he could live with mostly comfortably. His own roommate on the other hand...
It was like Jesse was the buffer zone between he and Shawn and as long as he was around, he wouldn't have to deal with any of his problems. At least, not yet anyway.
Trey looked over at Noah who was staring at him before leaning back on his elbows and sighing, briefly looking up at the ceiling.
"You aren't gonna go eat with him are you?" Noah asked, catching Trey off guard.
He sat up, thinking for a moment before responding.
"He's my friend," he replied carefully and simply.
"Does he know that?" Noah asked.
"What?"
"I just...I mean, well I kissed you...I mean I know we haven't really talked about it but it happened. You kissed me and then I kissed you back. I thought....." Noah strayed.
Trey wasn't sure what to say.
"I just get the feeling Shawn wants the same thing I do," Noah replied.
"What?" Trey asked.
"You," Noah replied.
Trey definitely didn't know what to say to that. This was the most frank they'd been with each other about what happened since it happened. Nearly three weeks ago.
"I don't know what to say," Trey spoke up, feeling like he had to at least say that much.
Noah, who was leaning back on Shawn's bed sat forward with a grin.
"You don't have to put it into words you know."
Trey felt a little embarrassed with that comment. Not because he couldn't picture the thought of kissing Noah again but because once again he was feeling like he had a sense of loyalty to Shawn. It was like, whenever Shawn wanted to talk about them, the two rare times it happened, he thought about Noah. And now that Noah was talking about them, he was thinking about Shawn.
All he wanted to know now was when it was going to end. Of course, he already knew the answer to that.
"You know I don't know about Shawn, but I know what I could give you," Noah started, getting up to take a seat next to Trey.
Trey sat up uncomfortably and looked over at Noah, wondering what to expect.
"I really think I could be good for you," he said. "If you let me."
Trey sat staring at Noah wondering what to and what to say to Noah. It was almost like Noah was trying to sweet talk him into making a decision regarding the two of them and he was feeling just vulnerable enough to give into him.
"So why don't you," Noah started, reaching one arm around Trey's back as he leaned in so that he was only inches from his face, looking into hi s eyes. "Give yourself a shot of white hot cream."
Trey stared into his eyes as Noah looked into his before the two of the began a fit of laughter, falling on their backs.
Just as that happened, the door to the room opened and in poured Shawn followed by Zoey, Grace and Jesse who all seemed to be involved in some kind of conversation.
"If you hated our skill out there so much why didn't you get in and give it a shot?" Shawn asked, walking over to the mini fridge in his closest and pulling out a bottle of water.
"I'm not a sports person, I'm afraid," Jesse replied. "Especially made up sports that only you American's call a sport."
"You're such a cranky guy now that you're homeless Jesse," Zoey said, taking a seat next to Noah on the bed, who'd since sat up along with Trey.
"Let's go ahead and not use that word, love," Jesse spoke, taking a seat in Trey's chair. "If I wanted, everyone else would be homeless and I'd own the whole place."
"You're full of shit," Noah sighed.
Trey for some reason couldn't take his eyes off of Shawn. He not only was shirtless, but practically dripping with sweat. He was standing next to the only window in the room, where the sunlight, which was actually leaning on fading outside, was pouring straight into the room, glistening off of Shawn's body making him look even more appealing to Trey.
"Hey, what were you guys laughing about when we came in?" Shawn asked, after taking a swallow of water and walking over to stand in the middle of the room.
Trey and Noah exchanged glances before looking over at Shawn.
"Are you two crazy lovebirds shaking up?" Zoey decided to cut in.
"Oh, please no on that," Jesse sighed. "I....tolerate you personally but there's only so much guy-guy stuff I can take."
"Aren't you just a cute little homophobe?" Grace giggled, pinching Jesse's cheeks.
"I'm a cute something else too if you'd like to-"
"No, no were not gonna let your mind wander back there again, boy," Grace said, letting go of Jesse's cheeks.
"Guys this is so like Barney and Friends, I'm not even kidding," Zoey started. "What with Jesse being this creature-"
"Hey!"
"Who's here one minute and then-"
"It's not my fault okay? That crazy psycho bitch Amber and her lesbian friends had themselves a sale making God knows what on MY designer clothing," Jesse sighed.
"So, you mean...somebody out there is walking around with a pair of your expensive underwear?" Noah asked.
"You know, it doesn't surprise me you'd ask that question," Jesse replied.
"So instead of being a lazy fuck like you have been," Shawn started. "Why don't you do something about it?"
"Oh what would you have me do, phone that guy on third with the bum leg and fake eye who promises to `take care of the problem' for the right price?"
"You know, I actually know a girl that called him once," Zoey spoke up. "I haven't seen her since."
"Ooh, girl un-uh that's messed up," Grace said.
"Or, you could look for a place to stay," Shawn suggested.
"I could? Really? Wow...I completely hadn't thought of that!" Jesse replied, sarcastically.
"Smart ass," Grace said flatly.
Shawn rolled his eyes and sighed as he took a seat on the bed across the room.
"Hey, we can't let you stay here forever, you know that right?" he said.
"Oh yes, it's always been a dream of mine to live among the roaches and empty, un-thrown out Ravioli cans," Jesse replied.
"Yeah," Shawn started, chuckling while scratching the back of his head. "I'll be working on that this weekend."
"No you won't because you'll be helping me go flat hunting," Jesse replied, suddenly, as if getting some brilliant idea.
"Wait, what?" Shawn asked sitting up.
"What's a flat?" Trey asked.
"It was your idea, yes?" Jesse replied. "Besides, what else were you going to do? Use the free forty-eight hours you have to scratch the surface on your junk? Please, this place looks like Hiroshima sixty years ago."
"Well, half of it anyway," Noah added.
"Jesse, come on," Shawn started object.
"Gee, that's just what I'd do too," Jesse started. "Refuse to help the guy worth more than his weight in millions."
Shawn sighed.
It was true he didn't have anything concrete planned but he did at some point want to talk with Trey about their relationship, or lack thereof. He was hoping to have done it over the weekend. But he could only apartment-hunt with Jesse for so long. There would still be time.
"Fine," he replied. "I'll go with you."
"Excellent," Jesse replied. "I can alert the masses."
"You really think a lot of yourself huh?" Zoey asked.
"He reminds me of that crazy baby on Family Guy," Noah added. "Oh, and doesn't he have a big head too?"
"Laugh all you want you human antidepressant," Jesse started. "But remember me the day you're sitting in your comfy little chair at the Betty Ford clinic watching me open my hundredth hotel while simultaneously amassing millions."
"I don't know who's worse, the guy with a bigger ego than God or the two guys pussyfooting around being into each other," Zoey sighed.
"We're all a bunch of spiteful people, aren't we?" Grace joked.
"Life has made us this jaded," Zoey replied.
And the comment had caused Trey and Noah to stare at each other once again. Only it wasn't the comfortable kind of stare Trey was starting to get used to. It was awkward again and he hated it.
"You know, everything doesn't have to be all bad," Grace started, sitting up as if getting an idea.
Everyone turned their attention to her.
"Yeah, I mean if you two are having trouble getting things started, maybe you need help from a sista," she continued.
Zoey suddenly felt like she was catching on to the same wave pattern that Grace was riding on.
"The female persuasion," Zoey replied. "I get it."
"Well I don't and you can shut up now because I don't think-"
"Boy hush," Grace quieted Noah as she started again. "I ain't got to play matchmaker in a good minute. Let me do this."
"Yeah, and let me help," Zoey replied.
"Wait a second? What the hell are you guys talking about?" Shawn asked, alarmed.
"What were talking about, Shawn, is planning the perfect date for Trey and Noah," Zoey spoke up.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...what?" Noah asked, also alarmed.
Trey felt like a not so innocent bystander in the whole thing. Shawn was upset, Noah was surprised and he was...undecided. He didn't know how he felt about the whole thing. It was like Grace and Zoey wanted to do all the work for him. And anything to help that along was fine by him.
"How about instead of that, we all hang out?" Shawn quickly suggested. "See a movie? Go to Six Flags?"
"No I like my idea better," Grace replied.
"Me too," Zoey replied. "Besides, we kinda already are group hanging since me and Grace are going with you guys."
"You are?" Trey asked.
"What?" Noah asked.
"Yeah," Grace replied. "To make sure you have the perfect day. And you WILL have a perfect day if I have anything to say about it."
"Maybe I could meet you guys," Shawn said, actually sounding a bit desperate now.
He wasn't liking the sound of Noah and Trey going on a date at all. Even if Grace and Zoey were going to tag along.
"Sorry, but no, you and I will be passing on the meeting of the queers," Jesse replied simply. "I need a place to stay by Monday. I've already sent out a few dozen invites to a smashing house warming party next week."
Shawn was too busy trying to come up with a way to stop what was unfolding in front of his eyes to really pay attention to Jesse. He couldn't just let Noah have the perfect day with Trey. The next thing he knew, they'd come back happy together and he wouldn't stand a chance of getting together with Trey anymore.
"Jesse, can't we do it another time...I mean-"
"What is with you, dancing all over this like it actually bothers you?" Jesse asked. "Either you care the two of them are going out or you don't. I for one could go without it-"
"...shut up," Shawn spoke passively looking over at Trey and Noah.
There had to be something he could do. Some way to get between them so that it wouldn't happen. But as he sat and tried to think of a way, he realized that he'd only be making himself look worse than he already had if he did.
There was no way he wanted to completely ruin his chance as long as he still had one.
"Look, maybe we could meet up later," Trey started, after seeing Shawn's crushed look. "I don't see the harm in that."
"Nope," Grace objected.
"Not," Zoey added.
The room grew silent for a few moments before Zoey let out a sigh.
"Well, that's that then," she said.
"Yeah, I guess so," Grace added.
A few more moments of silence passed in where Trey managed to notice Shawn glaring at Noah who seemed to be returning the favor. Things were back to being complicated for him and he knew it.
"I'm in the mood for raw fish," Jesse suddenly spoke up. "Sushi anyone?"
With the complicated dealings of his life returning, so had Trey's sleepless nights. He spent the entire night agonizing and anticipating, all at once.
He was dreading going out with Noah but he was looking forward to it for so many reasons. For starters, he really liked Noah. It seemed like he and Noah connected on a deep level. Like they understood things about each other that no one else could possibly understand. He liked that.
But then there was the fact that he also like Shawn. Shawn for him was like a breath of fresh air. He was almost like his complete opposite, unlike he and Noah, and that was something that drove him crazy in both the good and bad sense of the word.
And now he had to deal with going on his first date with Noah. Although it probably wasn't really a date, considering Zoey and Grace were coming.
The thing that got to him was that he hadn't really made up his mind as to who he wanted to stick with. And now it seemed like it was being made for him. He wasn't really sure what to think of that really. Usually when people get forced into doing things they otherwise would have gotten around to, they tend to resent it more.
He was just hoping for that not to happen with Noah.
It was about ten thirty in the morning and both Trey and Shawn were up. Jesse was up as well and had been in their bathroom for nearly an hour.
"I wonder if this place runs out of hot water," Trey passively said as he ironed the pants he'd be wearing for the day.
It took him nearly as long as Jesse had been in the shower to figure out what he'd want to wear on his date-but-not-really-a-date with Noah.
Shawn passed him, shirtless, in nothing but a tight pair of navy blue briefs as he walked over to their sink to brush his teeth.
Trey could certainly feel that the overall mood between the two of them had changed. He knew why so he wasn't going to try to argue against it. He just wished it didn't suck so much. He and Shawn seemed to go back and forward the most and he liked it more when the two of them got along.
Trey just stared at Shawn, who started to brush his teeth and seemed to be doing whatever he could not to look at him in the mirror before going back to ironing his pants.
He'd decided that just because Shawn didn't want to talk to him didn't mean that he wasn't going to talk.
"I wonder what kind of day Zoey and Grace could possibly have planned," he said, passively, more to think about it for himself than to be talking to Shawn. "Those two girls are like night and day to each other."
Shawn spit into the sink and continued brushing his teeth.
"I can't believe them though," Trey continued. "I mean, a date? What's that about?"
Trey stopped ironing and glanced back briefly at Shawn before sighing and turning back around.
Shawn continued to brush his teeth for a few moments before turning off the sink, glancing briefly at Shawn and walking over to his closet to get his own clothes ready.
"You know I'm starting to think all girls are just crazy like that," Trey chuckled.
Shawn didn't respond, not that Trey was expecting him to. Although he was starting to get annoyed with him. It wasn't his fault he was going on a non-date with Noah. Zoey and Grace were planning the whole thing and they were his friends. He wasn't going to tell them no, for lots of reasons, not the least of which because of how Shawn would feel.
It took two people to start a relationship. At least Noah had actually brought up their kiss and put everything on the line before talk of the date even popped up. Shawn hadn't done anything. It was like he just wanted to keep Trey in suspense, waiting until HE was ready to do something about it, as if Trey was supposed to just wait around for that.
He wanted a relationship just as much as the next person, especially since he'd never had one before. And he was starting to lean towards Noah as being the guy he wanted to have one with.
A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed, as much as Trey hadn't wanted them to, before the door to the restroom open and Jesse poured out, his assortment of shower products in his arms and completely dressed.
"That water is grating," Jesse replied. "I can't believe these ingrates make you pay seven hundred dollars a month for this little hole in the wall."
"It's called dorm life Jesse," Trey replied. "Everyone goes through it."
"Not this person," Jesse replied. "Because after today, I should have myself a nice little condo to call home. Well...home away from home, anyway."
"How do you think you're gonna get away with living off campus when freshman have to stay on campus?" Trey asked.
"That lie they tell people is to get your money out your parent's wallets in into their greedy hands," Jesse replied. "There are people who commute, you know."
"That's different," Trey replied. "Those people list their parent's as dependents. You can't live off campus otherwise."
"See if I give a rotting shit," Jesse replied. "These people are through screwing with me. If they want me to re pay my tuition, they can give my lawyer a ring. He hasn't had a nice sue-around in at least a week."
Trey couldn't and didn't want to argue with Jesse on that. The less he knew about his entire situation, the better. Just in case there came a time he really did need to testify in court.
"Anyway, I was thinking we could start in a place I heard about called Las Colinas," Jesse replied. "Apparently that's a good area."
"Yeah and kinda far from here," Trey replied.
"In Irving? It's not that far," Shawn spoke up.
"Yes well, then we could try downtown. I've never really been a big fan of the country. That's pretty much this entire state so anything to get me away from that would be great, thanks."
"So you're really gonna commute to school every single day?" Trey asked. "From Las Colinas?"
"If I have to," Jesse replied. "Are we not grasping my desperation here?"
"No I see it," Trey replied, slipping his jeans on. "I just think it's a little crazy, that's all."
"Crazier than you going out on a date with three people at the same time?" Shawn spoke, off handedly, not even bothering to look over at Trey.
Trey looked over at Shawn, not sure what to say.
Jesse looked between the two of them.
"In London, where the majority of the lovers spats that take place are usually of a male-female persuasion-"
"Hey, this isn't a lovers spat, alright?" Shawn cut in.
"Definitely not that," Trey barked back, glaring at Shawn.
Jesse looked between the two of them before deciding for once in his life to shut up and stay out of it. He may not have entirely approved of the whole homosexual overtones he was sensing but Shawn and Trey were growing on him and they had been nice enough to let them stay with them all week.
Instead he walked over to the mirror in the sink to admire himself and go over his hair as Trey went back and forward between exchanging evil glares at each other.
It didn't take too long for a knock at the door, something that Trey was relieved to hear as he rushed over to it and opened it, rushing everyone inside, not even bothering with the hello's.
"Somebody's excited for what our brilliant minds have cooked up," Zoey said as she entered the room and took a seat on Trey's bed.
"Somebody's a little too loud for my martini soaked mind," Jesse replied.
"I didn't know a person could get drunk off a martini," Zoey said.
"Try five," Jesse replied. "And can we do something about this God awfully bright fluorescent light? My intoxicated eyes can only take so much."
Grace filled into the room along with Noah who stopped in front of Trey, looking him over.
"Hey," he replied with a smile. "You look nice."
Trey looked himself over. That was what he was hoping for. For Noah to notice.
"Thanks," he replied.
"So what do you lot have planned for the day?" Jesse asked. "Please tell me you've started a groupie fan following in my behalf?"
"If only anyone cared about yo ass that much, huh?" Grace asked.
"Besides, were not telling you," Zoey replied.
"Fine, then I just won't invite you to the social event of the year that I myself will be throwing," Jesse replied, satisfied with himself.
"Oh I'm sure people will be talking alright," Zoey said. "Just not for the reasons you wanted them to."
Jesse decided to ignore the statement as he looked over at Shawn who was buttoning up a long sleeved light blue button up shirt.
"Maybe in between we can shop for you some sort of sense of style," he mumbled.
Shawn didn't really bother to respond because he still wasn't really paying too much attention to Jesse.
He just couldn't take his eyes off of Noah and Trey, who were talking quietly about something he wished he could hear. He wished that he didn't want to look at Trey like that. He wished that he didn't feel the way he did. He wished he didn't want to smash Noah's head into the wall whenever he saw him touch Trey. But that was the way he felt.
And at the moment, there was nothing that he could do about it.
"Well I'm sure you'd all love for me to sit around and chat with you," Jesse started.
"Not really, not in particular, no," Grace, Zoey, Noah and Trey all spoke.
Jesse scoffed it off as he started towards the door.
"It's been fun living in poverty this past week," Jesse replied. "It was a new experience but now it's time to get back to the way of living that I've become accustomed to."
"Being the only guy in a female sorority?" Noah asked.
"You've never met a bad joke you didn't like, have you Noah?" Jesse replied.
Shawn started towards the door, his attention focused on Trey who seemed to be just as upset with him as he was with him. He wanted to say something. Anything that would attempt to make their situation right again and go back to being as comfortable with each other as they'd gotten used to.
But as he looked over at Noah and saw how excited he seemed to be about spending the day with Trey, he realized that he could've had this settled a long time ago. If he'd just confirmed how he felt about Trey with him and found out if he felt the same way back, they'd be together and he wouldn't even need to worry about his outing.
And as it stood they were fighting anyway.
There was no getting around that. At least not now anyway.
"Bye guys," Zoey said as Jesse opened the door.
"Try not to take him anywhere past Oak Cliff," Grace spoke. "Them hoodrats up there be acting TOO ghetto."
"Lead the way," Jesse said, showing Shawn out before following and shutting the door behind him, leaving Zoey, Grace, Trey and Noah all alone.
Trey and Noah exchanged nervous glances in the silence of the room before Zoey got off the bed, facing the two of them.
"So, we, in all our female brilliant intuition-"
"You're like the female Jesse aren't you?" Noah interrupted.
"If by that you mean stylish and quintessentially charming then yeah, you're halfway there," Zoey replied.
Noah rolled his eyes, leaning back.
"Anyways, like I was saying," Zoey continued. "Grace and I have the perfect day planned for the two of you."
"Yeah, we just took what we thought we knew about you and put it together," Grace added. "Today should be fun."
"Fun?" Noah asked.
"Fun," Zoey replied.
Noah looked over at Trey.
Trey was a bit skeptical about the whole thing. It wasn't like he wasn't expecting Zoey and Grace to not be able to plan a fun day. It was just that he was worried that all his marred feelings would get in the way of him being able to enjoy himself.
"Let's go then," Trey decided to say.
He was at least going to try to have fun, even if he didn't think he would.
"Gee, I could swear the school is only a solid five minutes from here," Jesse said as he looked out the passenger side window of Shawn's car.
"These are some of the student apartment complexes," Shawn replied. "I thought maybe we could take a look at some of these first."
"What is it with everyone wanting me near them whenever possible?" Jesse asked, as Shawn found a parking space. "I mean, I may be in need of a new place to live but who says it has to be among the masses?"
"Are you really that spoiled, Jesse?" Shawn asked. "You seem like a cool guy? Now all of a sudden-"
"You're right," Jesse started. "I was the guy who was scorned by his crazy female roommate. I hadn't a place to stay, most of my belongings were being worn by people who couldn't tell Armani from Old Navy brand and I was a thousand miles from home."
Shawn just listened as he parked and turned off the car.
"You start to think that's what your life is, and you start to accept it," Jesse replied. "But I'm not one to fall into any trappings like that."
Shawn looked over at him.
"My father may have forgotten about me but I'm not about to forget about myself," Jesse replied. "Have money, will spend it, plain and simple."
"So you don't even want to give any of these places a chance?" Shawn asked.
Jesse stared ahead at the tall building before him. It was relatively new. Built within the last year. It looked more like some sort of fancy hotel than an actual apartment complex. Not too bad. And as long as they were there.
"Well, I suppose it wouldn't do any harm," he replied. "Okay."
Shawn watched as Jesse got out the opposite side of the car before looking ahead and thinking.
He wanted to be a good tour guide for Jesse and help him find somewhere nice to stay but he'd only been away from Trey for fifteen minutes and already he was wondering what he and Noah could possibly be doing.
He could tell that today was going to be an unusually long day for him.
Even though Grace and Zoey insisted on tagging along on their `date', they made sure to stay a good way away from Noah and Trey. It almost seemed like they were alone that way.
They'd just finished seeing the movie that the two girls had picked out for them and were walking down a long strip of sidewalk in downtown Dallas that was semi crowded with people.
"So what do you think they're talking about back there?" Noah asked.
Trey shrugged.
"You know us probably," he replied.
"Taking bets on how perfect a day they think were supposed to have," Noah said.
"And planning the next date," Trey added.
The two of them couldn't help but to burst into a fit of laughter behind this.
"So what do you think so far?" Noah asked, after they managed to settle down.
Trey thought about it for a moment. He felt strangely at ease with Noah. More comfortable than he thought he was going to feel that was for sure.
"It's like, a date without being a date," Trey replied. "If that makes any sense."
"No, it didn't," Noah laughed.
"Stop laughing at me, I'm no the only one here," Trey replied, playfully shoving Noah.
"Wanna ditch em?" Noah asked, suddenly sounding the most serious he had all day so far.
"What?" Trey asked, alarmed.
When he looked over at Noah he seemed to have a coy grin on his face. He couldn't tell if he was serious or not.
"Noah-"
"Come on, it'll be fun," Noah said.
"Yeah, and have em chasing us around town all day sounds like a total blast," Trey added.
"Doesn't it?" Noah asked, with a wide grin.
Trey eyed him seriously for a moment. He wasn't sure what had seemingly come over Noah all of a sudden but he liked his sense of wonder and excitement. It was a far fetch away from what he was used to and he was just in the mood to let Noah let him experience it.
"Okay," Trey said.
"Okay," Noah agreed, before looking around.
There was a corner coming up in which the two of them could go either left or right, and being closer to the right of the corner, Noah grabbed Trey and started with him down the side of the street, bypassing all kinds of passerby's along the way.
"You see this shit, girl?" Grace asked upon noticing Trey and Noah running off.
"You don't think they're going off to fuck each other do you?" Zoey asked.
"I think you been spending too much time with Jesse's dirty mind ass," Grace replied.
Zoey frowned as the two girls continued to walk.
"And it comes standard with broadband internet and satellite dish."
"Oh joy, because I can't decide on a place unless it delivers lightning fast porn," Jesse sighed before turning to Shawn. "Can we go now?"
Shawn frowned before looking over at the girl that had been showing them around the place.
"How much is the rent?" he asked.
"Like that's a concern of mine," Jesse mumbled, clearly bored and agitated.
Shawn briefly glanced at him before looking around a little himself.
"It's a nice place, Jesse," he started. "I mean, I'm sure they'd let you add whatever you wanted just as long as you had the means to change it back, right?"
"Well, that isn't really something we-"
"Tell me something love, is there a penthouse suite available?" Jesse piped up.
"I'm sorry?" the girl asked.
"Well that's the only way I'd even consider this place," Jesse started. "If I was as far away from the rest of you lot as possible."
The girl looked over at Shawn, still a little confused.
"Well I mean, the top floor is unoccupied but that's because-"
"Perfect, I'll take that," Jesse spoke up, as if she'd suddenly said the magic words.
"What?" the girl asked.
"I'll take the entire top floor," Jesse replied. "I can have a renovation team in here by tomorrow morning. Just a few dozen people or so. I need the place ready by the end of the week you know."
"The top floor is storage, that's why no one is up there right now," the girl started.
"Okay so I'll just get rid of all the junk, why are you making this difficult for me?" Jesse said, starting to get aggravated.
Shawn walked over to him.
"Ah, you'll have to excuse him," he started. "He's kinda used to getting his way all the time."
"Way to sell me down the river there, Shawn," Jesse started.
"I'm not really sure if we can-"
"Tell you what, you make it happen and I'll renovate your apartment while I'm at it," Jesse cut her off. "Could you see a hot tub in it? Maybe a flat screen tv?"
The girl suddenly looked like she was confused yet excited all at once.
"Okay," she said. "I'll see what I can do."
"Great love," Jesse said, turning to watch as the girl headed out the apartment saying something about putting the tv above to the hot tub.
"Oh yeah, THAT's smart," Jesse mumbled before looking around the empty apartment.
"What was wrong with this place?" Shawn asked.
Jesse turned to face him.
"What are you daft? Look at it!" he replied. "It's too small!"
Shawn sighed and crossed his arms as Jesse passed him to look out the window, which overlooked the entire campus.
"I thought you were staying in one of the sororities on campus before," Shawn replied. "Last time I checked, none of those were mansions either."
"Yes and there wasn't very much I could do about that without getting tossed out on my bum either," Jesse replied. "Which eventually happened anyway so I guess that point is moot."
"Jesse-"
"This is something for me. That I can do myself. Well, at least oversee myself," Jesse spoke, a serious tone to his voice. "Is that so bad?"
Shawn looked down.
He wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't known Jesse that long but he never really ever seemed like the serious type to him before either. And here he was, letting Shawn more inside in the past five minutes than the entire short time he'd known him.
It was almost like he was a different person. He could see himself being friends with him. Better friends with him than he ever was with Ben.
"Well, shall we order up some champagne to celebrate?" Jesse asked, rubbing his hands together quickly.
"This isn't the Four Seasons, Jesse," Shawn replied.
"Not yet anyway," Jesse replied, a grin on his face.
By now Noah and Trey had completely escaped Grace and Zoey, spending the entire day doing things they wanted to do. Trey never realized that he could have so much fun with Noah. The fact that he was so fun was really starting to make up his mind for him as far as who to choose.
If that was even what things were coming down to. He wasn't really sure that he had to pick anyone because he wasn't really sure what he was being put in the middle of. The one thing he did know was that he was free to make his own decisions, regardless of whether or not he was being put into any precarious situations.
It was like they were finally taking the time to just let things go and not try to be a certain way.
That was refreshing for him.
A completely new and welcomed change.
Currently Noah had led the two of them to a park downtown. They were standing on a stone bridge overlooking a lake. It was dark out but there were plenty of lights around for them to see what they were doing, which was throwing bits of food to the ducks below.
"I didn't know ducks stayed out this late," Trey said, tossing down a crushed up cracker.
"Well it's only eight thirty," Noah replied, tossing down a corner of a slice of bread.
"So is this what were gonna tell everyone our supposed date went like?" Trey asked. "That we just walked around doing whatever the hell we wanted."
"What and fed their fantasies?" Noah asked. "Sounds like fun."
Trey smiled.
"You know, I wasn't expecting to have fun today," Trey admitted.
Noah looked over at him.
"Oh how that hurts my little heart so," he said, even going so far as to clutch his jacket pretending to be in pain.
Trey giggled and playfully shoved Noah who returned the favor before returning to looking over the nicely lit lake.
"I mean, I just kept thinking about how bad things were with me and Shawn and how I didn't want things to get that way between us," Trey continued.
"So things are bad with you and Shawn, huh?" Noah asked.
Trey nodded, tossing a piece of bread out over the lake.
"Wanna talk about it?" Noah asked.
Trey wasn't really sure. He didn't know if it was just because he didn't want to talk about it or he didn't want to talk about it with him, but there was a reason why he was unsure and he had no clue what it was.
"I get confused a lot," Trey replied. "About what the right thing to do is. All of this having friends and relationships is new for me."
Noah listened intently as Trey continued.
"It's like I'm waiting for someone to tell me what to do and what to say and how to do it and how to say it....and that seems to be why things keep getting more complicated for me."
"Well you know, you don't have to let it be complicated if you don't want it to be," Noah said, simply.
And that was something that Trey knew. He just was such an indecisive person. Mostly he was a thinker. He had to think about every little thing before he did or said it. He hadn't really learned how to just be.
He looked over at Noah who seemed to have this peaceful look on his face as he was looking out over the lake.
This was probably the first time, he realized, that he'd been able to be around one of the two guys in his life and not be worrying about the other one.
It was nice. It was like a change of pace or something. It kind of seemed like even though circumstances surrounding their day were strange, everything seemed to just play out naturally. Like there was not other way for anything to happen.
Maybe, Trey thought, it was the universe trying to tell him something. Like that Noah was the one he was supposed to be with.
"What about you?" Trey asked. "How come it's so easy for you?"
Noah just stared out over the lake for a moment before responding.
"I never said it was easy," he replied. "I mean, this is new for me too. I've never even thought about another guy before I met you."
Trey just stared at him.
"I mean, there's all these labels. Gay. Straight. Bi. It makes it a little confusing to know what you are when you feel one way about a person but completely different for someone else. I'm not even sure what to call myself."
That was something that Trey could relate to as well as he looked down at the ground, leaning his back out with his arms stretched over the stone railing.
"Yeah," he said. "Same here."
Noah looked over at Trey.
Suddenly he felt a strange feeling come over him. It was like one of total ease. A feeling where all that mattered were him and Trey. No one else was there in his eyes. He felt so comfortable it was just easy enough for him to reach over and pull Trey into a kiss, that to his surprise, Trey didn't even try to fight.
They must have stayed that way for at least a minute before...
"Our work here is done," Zoey spoke.
"There ya'll asses go," Grace said, sounding as if she'd just been running a marathon. "Black folks don't walk all around like they lost. What you trying to kill me?"
Noah let go of Trey and turned around. He and Trey were more than a little shocked to see not only Grace and Zoey but Jesse and Shawn as well.
"Guys..." Noah started.
"How did you?"
"I got Jesse to get some guys to install GPS trackers in your brains," Zoey replied.
"What do you take me for, your personal bank withdraw system?" Jesse asked.
"Boy, why you don't just say ATM?" Grace asked.
Trey caught sight of Shawn's look and he looked far from happy.
"No actually, we've pretty much been close by all day," Zoey replied. "And we ran into Jesse and Shawn like ten minutes ago."
Before Trey had been feeling so comfortable and so at ease with Noah. Now seeing Shawn just erased all that and he now felt far from that.
Before, things were simple. Or at least, they seemed like they could be.
Now things weren't simple.
Things were far from simple.
Now everyone had seen him kissing Noah. There was no getting around that. They were all going to think they were a couple by default. And he still wasn't 100% sure that was what he wanted.
His life had gone from being simple to complicated all over again.
"So um, what happened here? Things went good I guess," Zoey asked.
Noah and Trey exchanged glances.
Trey couldn't really think straight without Shawn popping into his mind. He was after all standing right in front of him, obviously upset with what he'd seen.
How was he supposed to explain that?
"You two are lucky I'm just drunk enough not to care," Jesse spoke, slurring his words a little. "And you're still invited to my rocking of the casbah."
Everyone watched as Jesse started doing some kind of strange dance, the girls cracking up in the process.
Trey was a little too worried about his own problems to be thinking about laughing.
What was he going to do? How was he going to explain his way out of things? If he even wanted to. He wasn't even really sure he wanted to.
"Maybe we should all just go home," Noah started.
"Yeah, I can imagine why YOU'D want to," Shawn mumbled.
"What did you say asshole?" Noah asked, starting towards Shawn.
"Wait, guys," Trey started.
The girls had since calmed down, as they realized that something serious was going on.
"Guys," Trey started.
He was trying to stop what was unfolding before his eyes. Shawn and Noah were getting in each others face and passerby's were beginning to take notice.
"It was probably your idea to split up with the girls," Shawn spoke.
"And if it was, what are you gonna do about it?" Noah asked.
"Guys," Trey said.
He was trying to insinuate himself in between the two of them but by now they were so in each others faces, they were the only two people that mattered to each other at the moment. They weren't paying attention to the person that was trying to get them to calm down.
"I know your type," Shawn started.
"Oh really? And what is my type?"
"The user and abuser type."
Noah snorted.
"I see the way you look at Trey. And then you're just gonna dump him when you get what you want-"
"Oh you're so off you don't even know what you're talking about right now Abercrombie!"
"What did you just say to me?"
"Guys, I don't know what to do," Trey spoke, joining Grace and Zoey at their sides.
Everyone was watching the show that was becoming a bad train wreck, not really sure what to do.
"Would ya'll stop it? Damn, what are you three?" Grace asked.
Shawn was glaring at Noah. Noah was glaring at Shawn. Things were tense.
Meanwhile no one was paying attention to a very drunk Jesse, who'd already proven he was easily intoxicated, as he started to climb on top of the stone railing on the bridge they were standing on. The bridge itself wasn't that high up from the lake, something Jesse even in his drunk state was able to realize.
"Caveman number one and two, how about we simmer down with the overgrown display of male testosterone and save the who has the bigger balls contest for another day?" Zoey spoke, sounding agitated.
But of course Shawn and Noah weren't paying attention. They had business with each other and they weren't about to stop for anyone.
"Guys, please...stop!" Trey spoke up.
And for a moment it even looked like they were about to listen. But after that it was like that fact alone caused one or both of them to snap as the next thing anyone knew, they were all over each other in a fight.
"Hey! Hey stop!" Zoey shouted. "This is so ridiculous."
"Damn! Stop it!" Grace shouted.
Trey wasn't sure who he was more embarrassed for. Them or himself, as he sighed and put a hand over his face.
He knew he was the cause of everything and that there wasn't much he could do to quell any sort of tension as long as the two of them had the feelings they had.
He couldn't stop them from having feelings for whoever they had feelings for, no matter what he did. So even if he did take initiative, that wasn't going to change things. In fact, it might have made things worse.
"I'm not doing shit for ya'll no more!" Grace shouted.
Trey looked around. For some reason, he was wondering why Jesse didn't have anything to say about what was going on. But he was no where to be found.
"Where's Jesse?" he asked.
Grace and Zoey looked over at him and then started looking around.
"That boy done took off on us," Grace said.
That was right about when Trey could hear people screaming and saw several people rushing over to look over the lake, as if something had happened.
Trey followed and looked over.
"He jumped!" he could hear someone saying.
"I don't see him," someone else was saying.
"Oh my god girl," Grace started. "He fell in the lake!"
And suddenly everyone else's problems seemed a little less important.
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