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Love on the Campus
(A Romance)
One
Introductions
This tale concerns itself with three college students who are in love. That is to say, they love deeply, but not necessarily each other. One is in love with himself rather than someone else. Don't be confused. By the time this tale is over, all the pieces will fit nicely in place.
I will begin by telling you as much about the students as I can. When I'm done, you will feel as if you know them intimately; as if you had been friends all your lives. Their names are Mark Lopez, Jonathan Arthur, and Carl Upman. None of the men are roommates.
They all attend a small Mid-Western college. Most of the students get to know each other before their first two weeks have passed. It may be a small school, but the academic standards are very high, and the school has an excellent reputation.
There is a nearby town, which rolls up its sidewalks at about 10:00 PM. Obviously it's not the kind of town that draws college students. The students have to make their own entertainment. I'll bet you thought I meant sex. Well, I didn't. I was talking about the kind of entertainment we all use for diversion.
On the weekends, a good many of the students car-pool to Chicago, about fifty miles away. They take cheap hotel rooms, and stay overnight. They are prone to give the bars (straight and gay) lots of money, their parents' money. Young men and women their age have to sow some wild oats, and Chicago fits the bill.
Now it's time for your assumptions. There is plenty of sex between the students and the locals, and among themselves. Their hormones are raging, and if you listen carefully, you can actually hear them rushing through the bloodstreams of the young adults.
Now that you have a general picture of the environment that Mark, Jonathan, and Carl, call home, let me tell you about each boy individually.
Mark Lopez
Mark Lopez is a first generation American. He was born in Miami, FL to Cuban immigrants. He was actually named Marcus, but he started to enter his name as Mark on any and all legal and non-legal documents. In effect, he changed his name without benefit of the courts.
He has straight black hair, which he keeps short. His eyes are a deep dark brown. He grew to a respectable height of five feet, ten inches. His mother was an even five feet, and his father had only been five feet, seven inches. Mark is lean and not very muscular. He only weighs a hundred and forty-five pounds. In his maturity, he has a short, four inch uncut cock, but it is thick and grows to six inches when he masturbates. Much to his distress, he was still a virgin when he went off to college, and still is.
Growing up, Mark lived in The Barrio. All his neighbors could trace their roots to Cuba. Life was not easy for Mark and his mother. His parents were not married, and his father deserted his mother before he was born. The bastard disappeared never to be seen or heard from again. His mother did the best she could for him, financially, physically, and emotionally; she worked two jobs as a waitress to support the two of them. She generally worked about fifteen hours a day.
As a child Mark was a loner. He did not enjoy playing with the other kids. He preferred reading and studying. At a very young age some instinct told him that the way out of The Barrio, was to get an education, which hopefully would then lead into a profession.
As a teen-ager, he became even more withdrawn from his neighbors. They were joining gangs and getting into trouble with the police. The members of one gang had the nerve to call themselves, "The Sharks" like the Puerto Ricans in West Side Story. The gang members harassed him and made fun of him, but he was one of their own, and they never hurt him physically. When nobody was around, he would shoot hoops in a small playground near his apartment. Mark's next door neighbor talked him into shooting hoops with him one evening after dinner.
Mark and Gustavo were having a wonderful time, when suddenly they heard the sound of gunfire. Mark heard pop, pop, pop, and felt a burning sting on his upper left arm. He didn't know what happened, but he saw Gustavo lying on the ground in a pool of blood. They had been innocent victims of a drive-by shooting.
Gustavo died, but Mark survived. Unfortunately, he was left with an ugly scar where the bullet pierced him. As soon as he could, after his eighteenth birthday, he covered the scar with a tattoo of Jesus on the cross. It effectively hid the reminder of the violent environment he grew up in. The tattoo was not fully healed when he started his college career.
After the shooting, his mother took him away for a while. They went to visit his aunt in Dallas, TX. Mark had an opportunity to see what it was like to live in a family neighborhood, in a private house, on a tree-lined street. His resolve to get out of The Barrio was reinforced, and he knew just how he would do it. He would get a doctorate in history, and teach at some large urban college. Such an academic environment would be diverse and eclectic.
It was in his teen-age years that Mark realized that he was harboring a secret. He was a very handsome Latino, and girls at school came on to him all the time. He realized that he was disinterested in them and that his masturbation fantasies were all homoerotic. He had never acted on his desires, and he chose not to believe that he might be gay. He completely erased the idea from his brain cells.
The only way he could go to college was on a full scholarship. He believed that a small school in the boondocks might be more inclined to honor him. How right he was. He graduated high school at the top of his class, and was valedictorian at graduation. Unfortunately, most of the guests at the celebration had no idea what an honor had been bestowed on him. Several colleges offered him full scholarships, and he chose the one farthest away from Miami.
Before he left for college, he talked his mother into leaving Miami, and moving to Dallas to live with her sister. She did that, and moved into a private house, in a family neighborhood, on a tree lined street.
When he entered the campus, Mark knew that he was out of The Barrio at last, but he was also out of his comfort zone. Most of his fellow students were WASPs and he was extremely uncomfortable among them. The students misunderstood his fears, and assumed he was being aloof and very much a snob.
Jonathan Arthur
Jonathan Arthur was born in St. Louis, MO eighteen years ago. He has beautiful auburn hair which he wears long, about halfway down his ears. His eyes are hazel, and he has a small beauty mark on his right cheek. He stands five feet, eleven inches tall, and weighs a hundred and seventy-five pounds. He is very muscular from all the hours he has spent working out in a gym.
He is better endowed than Mark. He is cut and five inches flaccid. He reaches seven and a half inches when he whacks off, which is quite often. He is also pretty heavy in girth and matches Mark there.
His upbringing was polar opposite from Mark's. His dad made a better than average living, and they owned that private house Mark aspired to; it was in a family neighborhood on a tree-lined street.
Unlike Mark, Jonathan was very sociable. He had lots of friends, and when he was very young, nobody thought twice about him and the other boys playing on the street. His memories of his youth were good ones. There was no violence in his life to mar his dreams. He had two nurturing parents, and his fondest memory was a trip to Disney World with his father when he was fourteen. His mother stayed home so that father and son could bond even closer. The absolute worst thing that ever happened to him was getting detention for playing a trick on his fourth grade teacher. Getting caught was worse than the detention.
On his sixteenth birthday, his father gave him a used car as a present. The car sharply increased his popularity with the girls. His good looks didn't hurt either. But alas, just like Mark, he found himself disinterested, and often realized that he was ogling some guy's bubble butt. He didn't believe that he might be gay, but just in case he was, he didn't want to disgrace his parents. To that end, he made himself a goal of majoring in finance and getting a job in a huge city far away from St. Louis.
His greatest fear was living life as a gay man. He too, refused to believe that he could be gay. He chose to ignore his yearnings, and entered college as an eighteen year old virgin.
Carl Upman
Carl Upman is a junior at the same college attended by Mark and Jonathan. He is twenty-one years young. His hair is reddish-blond, and his eyes are an icy blue. He grew to be six feet, one inch tall, and weighs a hundred and eighty pounds. He is very husky from long workouts in the gym. He chose not to participate in sports in high school for fear of damaging his very attractive face. Even his cock is beautiful. It is hefty and cut and six inches flaccid. It grows to eight inches when he is aroused.
Carl is stunningly handsome. Wherever he goes, when he enters a room, people of both sexes turn to stare at him, to flirt with him, and yes, to desire him. His ego is beyond just ego. He is worse than Narcissus ever was. His biggest fear is losing his good looks or perhaps scarring his face.
He had a good childhood until his ego kicked in. Then he lost almost all his friends, because they could not abide his vanity.
He was a scholar from an early age. His fondest childhood memory was when he read his first grade primer from cover to cover. After that he read everything he could get his hands on. By second grade, he was reading at a fourth grade level.
He regrets most that his father had little time to be with him. Carl's father was a cop, and he would work all kinds of crazy hours. When he was home he just wanted to relax. He had no time for an active young boy. When Carl asked him to do something with him, his father always said, "Later."
Carl knew from an early age that he was gay, and he never hid it. He had no friends anyway, so what did it matter? He had a bad habit of preening for hours in front of a mirror, trying to look more gorgeous than he was.
He managed to have one close friend in high school. The boy was gay and they began to have sex together, but the friend dumped him after a short time. He told Carl that his vanity was an impediment to any relationship he might want to have.
Like the rest of us, Carl has secrets and regrets. One secret he has never told anyone is that he was raped by his mother's brother when he was sixteen. The reason he chose to keep it a secret is that he enjoyed the experience. He even tried to get a repeat from his uncle, but the man didn't seem to be willing.
Another secret is that he is very insecure. He constantly broods about his lack of friends, and his fear of getting scarred. He puts forth a very macho image, but he is far from being an alpha male.
He has one regret, and it's a big one. During spring break in his freshman year, he went to Los Angeles to explore the gay Mecca of West Hollywood. He entered a bar, and there he was. A major movie star and action hero was seated at the bar sipping a drink. When the movie star saw the beauty that was Carl, he approached him. Carl knew that he could get laid by this handsome man, but he immediately turned on all his oozing charm to tease the actor, and he pretended to brush him off, acting like the man wasn't good looking enough for him. He was vain enough to believe that the actor would not give up trying to seduce him. After a few minutes of conversation, the star left him, leaving Carl to wonder if he had somehow turned him off, like he had done to his high school buddy. He most certainly did. Once again his vanity did him in, but he didn't yet know why.
Unlike Mark and Jonathan, Carl went to college secure in the knowledge that his sex life would be fantastic.
Now that you are well acquainted with the principal cast of characters, let the story begin.
Two
Meetings
The school scheduled orientation for the Friday before classes were to begin on Monday. The college officials decided that the free weekend would give the freshmen time to get somewhat acclimated to their new surroundings.
Jonathan Arthur moved into his dorm room on Thursday. His father wanted to drive him to school, but Jonathan had a car, and he wanted to take it with him. It took a lot of doing, but he finally convinced his father to let him drive to the college by himself.
Upper classmen occupied the rooms on either side of him. They would start arriving over the weekend. The nearby towns were too small to offer any sort of rentals to upper classmen.
Jonathan and his new roommate spent the better part of the day organizing their room. It would probably be their home for four years. Another freshman, Mark Lopez, moved in on Thursday also. His room was on the second floor of the residence hall, and Jonathan's was on the first floor. In fact, Mark was directly above Jonathan.
As soon as Mark got his room squared away, he excused himself and left his new roommate. As part of his scholarship requirements, he had to work a minimum of eighteen hours a week for the college, without pay. He had been assigned to the cafeteria, and was told to report to Mr. Reade who would get him started. Reade took Mark's class schedule, and told him he would assign him his hours around the schedule.
On Sunday morning, Carl Upman arrived. As he was lugging his belongings from his car to his dorm room, Jonathan was just coming out of his room right next door. He was headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. They almost bumped into each other and their eyes met. Jonathan was stunned by how handsome Carl was, and Carl determined that straight or gay, he was going to get Jonathan into his bed.
He could already picture the two of them playing sixty-nine together. He was sure that Jonathan had a very ample cock, and he could already feel it in his ass. Carl introduced himself and the two men shook hands cordially.
"Seeya around" Jonathan said and rushed off to breakfast.
Sure, Carl was a beauty, but when they shook hands, Jonathan got an uneasy feeling about him.
Both Mark and Jonathan were in the same history class, which met every Monday and Thursday. It was the third class of the day, just before lunch. I suppose one might say it was fate. When they entered the room, they took adjoining seats.
Mark was intimidated by this handsome WASP, but Jonathan, on the other hand, was attracted to this good-looking Latino. He stuck out his hand and introduced himself. Mark was shocked and very uncomfortable, but he shook Jonathan's hand and smiled. His smile lit up his face, and Jonathan's heart skipped a beat. He no longer thought he might be gay, he knew it. In fact, now it was his turn to daydream about having sex with Mark. He formed a mental image of Mark's uncut cock, which was hard and ready to penetrate him.
Relax, Jonathan told himself. Straight guys are out of bounds. His brain might have offered him this good advice, but his libido had other plans.
"Are you going to have lunch in the cafeteria after this class?" Jonathan asked. He was surprised at his own aggressiveness.
"I suppose so," Mark didn't quite answer. It was more like he mumbled.
"Let's have lunch together." As his libido kept rising, Jonathan got bolder, and Mark's back was to the wall. He was working the dinner shift this day, so he was available for lunch. He didn't want to be rude, so he reluctantly accepted the invitation.
They showed their meal passes, loaded up their trays, and found two seats at a table for eight. The other six seats were already occupied. Mark had more food on his tray for lunch, than he had for three meals altogether at home. He was aware of his gluttony, and vowed to cut back in the future.
Everybody at the table was very friendly. All eight exchanged information such as where they lived, what their majors were, and dozens of insignificant other facts about themselves. By the end of the meal they all felt they knew each other well.
Although Mark was not excluded, he still felt like an outsider, and he said very little at the table. The other students' general impression, regarding his aloofness, was that he was a snob. Actually, Mark was surprised at how easily he was accepted. He had expected remarks about his social station in life, but none came, and it was obvious it would never be an issue. He vowed to be friendlier, and join in the conversation next time. Suddenly he didn't feel so alienated, and he decided that he was being paranoid.
After lunch everybody went their separate ways. Before they parted, Jonathan asked, "Would you like to go into Chicago Friday night for the weekend? I have a car. I'll drive."
"I'd like to, but I don't think I could afford my half of the gas or the hotel room."
There he said it. He revealed how poor he was. Somehow, he found it easy to make this confession to Jonathan.
Jonathan got the picture immediately. "Listen," he said, "I'll be going there whether you join me or not, so you don't have to chip in at all. If that isn't enough incentive to go with me, how about this? My dad gives me twice as much allowance than I need, so drinks and meals are on me."
"I couldn't let you," Mark declared.
"Yes you can, and you will. When you graduate and make a lot of money, I'll let you take me on a tour of Europe." They both laughed at Jonathan's attempt at humor.
"Okay!" Mark conceded, but I have to be back early in the afternoon Sunday. I've got the dinner shift."
"The dinner shift? I'd like to work part time also. How much do they pay you?"
"They don't; it's a condition of my scholarship."
"Shit! You're on a scholarship?"
This was it, Mark expected Jonathan to take off, but he didn't. Instead he said, "Smart people scare the crap out of me, but I like you, and the invitation is still on the table."
He likes me, Mark thought. Dare I hope? Better not. He's straight. Mark was also coming to the conclusion that he was gay, and could no longer deny it.
"We'll discuss the logistics on Thursday, after class," Jonathan said."
"Great," Mark smiled. Jonathan's heart flipped again. Mark's smile did very lustful things to him. He didn't know if he could last until Thursday. He wanted to kick himself in the ass. He should have gotten Mark's cell phone number, his dorm room number, and even his last name so he could call and speak to him before Thursday. He wasn't thinking straight. He laughed to himself. He wasn't thinking gay, either.
Mark, on the other hand, was in a state of euphoria, and he never thought about those things at all.
After his last class that first day, Jonathan headed to his room. He intended on starting on some of his assignments before dinner. Thinking about dinner, made him think of Mark working in the cafeteria. He wondered, or rather he hoped, he would see Mark there this evening.
On the way to his dorm, he ran into Carl. A feeling of uneasiness crept over him again. He had no idea why Carl had that effect on him. He just did.
"Well, hello there, Jonny," Carl said.
Jonathan hated to be called Jon or Jonny. His name was Jonathan, plain and simple. His dad's name was James, and he loathed being called Jim or Jimmy. He did abide, Jamie, however. James and Jonathan had that in common. Jonathan's negative feelings for Carl just about doubled after that. He didn't answer Carl. He just nodded a hello.
"Do you have plans for the weekend?" Carl inquired. Without waiting for an answer, he asked, "Wanna go into Chicago with me? We'll have a ball."
It gave Jonathan great pleasure to say, "Sorry Carl, another time maybe. I've got a date with a guy in my history class this weekend."
Then he gave himself another kick in the ass. Why did he say he had a date with a guy? Carl could construe that to mean that he was gay.
"Who's the lucky guy?" Carl asked.
Finally, Jonathan didn't give a fuck. He knew that Carl was hitting on him, and he decided to let Carl believe whatever he wanted to.
"A dude named Mark."
Carl's eyebrows went up a notch, and he smiled to himself. Seducing Jonathan was going to be easier than he thought.
Jonathan didn't imagine the look he saw on Carl's face, and he shuddered. He hoped he had the fortitude to resist the handsomest man he had ever seen.
It was easier than he thought. He just thought of Mark, and he started to get hard. He rushed into his room. His roommate wasn't there, so dreaming of Mark, he whacked off to a very satisfying orgasm.
Three
Getting Acquainted
Jonathan practically sprinted to the cafeteria, hoping to see Mark there.
He was totally confused by his emotions. On the one hand, every time he saw Carl, he wanted to tell him to fuck off, and leave him alone. On the other hand, all he needed to set his heart racing was a glimpse of Mark. He would like to grab Mark in a bear hug and beg him to make love with him. Alas, that was not to be. He had no reason to believe that Mark was anything but straight.
Jonathan spotted Mark immediately. He was on the line ladling out the soup of the day. Jonathan didn't want soup, but he sure wanted to speak to Mark. They had a "date" for Friday, but Friday was a long time away. He wanted to ask Mark to do something social with him during the week, but his tongue was tied up in knots.
As Mark started to fill a bowl with soup, Jonathan said, "Not too much, please."
Then the two men smiled at each other, and Jonathan had to move on. He surveyed the cafeteria for an available seat, and he saw someone waving at him. Shit! It was Carl. There was an empty seat at Carl's table, and he had no choice but to go there.
Carl had everyone move over so that the empty seat was next to his. Nobody ever said no to Carl.
As soon as Jonathan was seated, Carl asked, "Do you like vintage and classic movies?"
"Actually, I do," Jonathan answered. He tried to be as polite as he could.
"They're showing "Grease" at The Colony in town tonight. How'd you like to go with the best looking guy in this hick school?"
Jonathan had no desire to go anywhere with Carl, but Grease held a very special meaning for him. His father had rented the film when Jonathan was very young.
As the family watched it, his father said, "I went to high school at the time this film was released. It was exactly like Rydell High, and I was exactly like John Travolta. I had to be a macho man, and I was afraid to tell your mother how much I loved her."
Young Jonathan giggled at his father's confession of love for his mother, but all through the film, John Travolta turned into his father, and Olivia Newton-John turned into his mother, even though neither looked anything like the stars of the film.
Jonathan was lost in his memories, so Carl repeated his invitation.
What the hell, Jonathan thought. "Yeah, sure, I'll go with you."
"Terrific, I'll pick you up at seven."
They left the cafeteria together, and as they headed for the door, Carl put his arm around Jonathan's shoulder. Jonathan wanted to push Carl's arm off of him, but he didn't want to make a scene, so he pulled away and said, "I'll see you later. There's something I have to do."
Carl was not to be put off. "I'll wait for you," he said. "Why are you being so cold? You'll never get another guy as handsome as I am." Jonathan almost gagged.
Jonathan sprinted over to Mark's station and they exchanged telephone and room numbers. Carl indeed waited for him, and put his arm around his shoulder again.
Mark witnessed the exit scene of the man he believed he was in love with, and his heart dropped to his ankles. Once again, he lamented that Jonathan was straight, and he began to feel socially inferior to Jonathan and every other student in the school. He went into a deep depression, but he was wise enough to realize that to get out of it, he had to forget Jonathan, and his surroundings, and concentrate on his studies. He resolved to break their Friday night `date.'
Before they took their seat in the theater, Carl bought a huge bucket of buttered popcorn. "This should last us through the whole movie," he laughed. "I hope I don't get any butter on my handsome face." Jonathan could taste the bile in his mouth.
He was able to get past Carl's praise of himself, but the minute they sat down Carl put his arm around Jonathan's seat, and his fingers rested on Jonathan's shoulder. Jonathan didn't want to say anything, but he leaned forward. Carl was not about to be deterred. This time he didn't bother with the back of the seat. He was able to rest his left arm around Jonathan's shoulder.
Jonathan wanted to tell Carl to stop. If Carl hadn't driven, he would have left the theater. Fuck, he thought, I'll take a cab. Before he could do anything, his lust trumped his reason, as lust always does. Carl's right arm had found its way to Jonathan's crotch. He was fumbling with the zipper, and fondling Jonathan sensuously.
Jonathan hardly knew what he was doing, but he undid his zipper, and pulled out his cock. Then he reached for Carl's, intending to take it out and fondle it also. He was shocked to find Carl's prick was already out, and as hard as steel.
They played with each other for a short while, and Carl whispered, "Not here. I know where we can go. We've both seen this film a zillion times. Let's get out of here. We're going to have a great time."
Carl drove his car to the local high school, and on to the parking lot. The rear of the lot was densely wooded.
"Come with me," he said. "I know about a small clearing with a grassy area that we can use. I've used it many times with guys who were grateful for my attention."
Although he was further disgusted by Carl's last remark, Jonathan followed Carl mindlessly, and before he knew what was happening, he and Carl were playing a hot game of sixty-nine. When it was over, and his lust was abated, Jonathan hated himself for enjoying it so much. He still disliked Carl, and Carl's seed was deep within his stomach. This just added to his distress.
"I was a virgin until tonight," Jonathan admitted. "How'd I do?"
"You were great. I would never have known it was your first time."
When he got back to his dorm, he saw his mobile phone on his dresser. He had neglected to take it with him. He always forgot to take it with him. He rarely used it except for making and receiving calls. He noticed that he had a voice message and it was from Mark. His spirits rose to the ceiling, but as he listened to the message, his spirits descended lower than hell.
Hi Jonathan. It's Mark. I can see that you and the guy you had dinner with tonight have something special going on. I don't want to get in the way, so I'm canceling Friday evening.
Mark had no idea, but in that simple message, he was letting Jonathan know that he believed him to be gay, and that he was gay also.
Jonathan wanted to cry out in anguish, but his roomie was sound asleep.
How could I have been so stupid? He thought. Next time, if there is a next time, I'm going to tell Carl to get lost, and stop coming on to me.
He wanted to run to Mark's dorm and explain, but it was too late. He decided not to wait until their next class together on Thursday. He vowed to call Mark in the morning. Needless to say, he couldn't sleep all night.
In the morning he didn't bother to call. He pounded on Mark's door not caring if he woke both Mark and his roommate. It was the roomie who opened the door. He was rubbing his eyes and demanding to know, "What the fuck?" Jonathan pushed right by him.
Mark was still in bed, so Jonathan sat down at his side. He didn't know what to say. In fact, he was speechless. Mark was naked, covered by a thin sheet.
"What?" Mark asked.
"You've got it all wrong," Jonathan finally found his voice. "That guy keeps coming on to me, and I don't like him at all. He put his arm around me in the cafeteria without my permission. I would have pulled away, but I didn't want to make a scene. It's you I want to get to know better."
He really wanted to say, "It's you I love," but he held back for now.
Still not convinced, Mark said, "I saw you leaving campus together in his car when I was leaving the cafeteria." Jonathan had to struggle to hear him. Mark was sullen and looked very unhappy.
Jonathan couldn't stand it anymore. He enveloped Mark in a bear hug, completely ignoring the fact that he was naked. Mark already had a morning Woodie, and now it turned into a passion Woodie.
"I gotta pee," he whispered in Jonathan's ear.
Mark's roommate witnessed the scene, and laughed. "I'll have no gay hanky-panky in my room," he said. "You two perverts will have to go elsewhere. P.S. I'm going home for the weekend. It's my girlfriend's eighteenth birthday. I could never miss that." He winked at the couple in the bed next to his.
Jonathan accompanied Mark to the bathroom, and they peed side by side. As they were peeing, Jonathan said, "Please don't break our date Friday night. In fact, I can't wait that long. Let me treat you to dinner the first evening you don't have to work."
When Jonathan said, "Let me treat you to dinner," Mark's inferiority complex kicked into high gear. Nobody was going to pay his way. He was determined to make it on his own.
"Look," he said, "We come from two different worlds. We aren't compatible and we never will be. Please just leave me alone. Go after that guy from last night, or any other guy for that matter."
Mark ran out of the latrine, and back to his room. Jonathan was in tears, and he ran after him. Mark closed his door in Jonathan's face.
Four
Longings
Jonathan ran back to his room. His eyes were so filled with tears, he could hardly see. As a result, he bumped right into Carl, who was just leaving his room on the way to the latrine. He could see what a sad state Jonathan was in.
"What's wrong, Babe?" he asked.
Jonathan looked at Carl. This was the man who ruined his chances with Mark. He grew very belligerent. "Don't call me `Babe.' I am not your Babe and never will be. Just stay away from me."
He ran into his room and noisily slammed shut the door. His roomie was getting dressed, and Jonathan surprised him. He jumped up in shock, and nearly hit the ceiling.
Carl was confused. Jonathan had thoroughly enjoyed himself last night. Why did he suddenly change his attitude? Carl got a sinking feeling in his stomach. He realized that he had turned off another guy he strongly believed he could have a relationship with. He had no idea why. He only knew that he was greatly disturbed.
Back in his room, Mark was dressing as quickly as he possibly could. He had breakfast duty today in the cafeteria. His first class wasn't until ten. He was trying hard to put Jonathan out of his mind. It wasn't working for now, but he was certain that given time, he could erase Jonathan from his brain. Unfortunately as the day went on he thought of him more and more. He couldn't believe how much he wanted to cuddle with him, and sleep with him.
After his last morning class, Mark headed for the cafeteria. Halfway there his cell phone buzzed to alert him to an incoming text message. He looked at the caller ID. It was from Jonathan, and he was tempted to delete the message, but curiosity won out, and he read it:
Please meet me in the cafeteria for lunch. J. Jonathan wanted to add, I luv U, but he was afraid.
Mark texted back. Stay away from me. Let me eat in peace. He hadn't meant to be cruel, but he was afraid of his own emotions. He was afraid of loving Jonathan. He was afraid of loving anyone so far above his station in life.
When Jonathan entered the cafeteria he saw Mark sitting at a table fully occupied with students. Mark had chosen this table because it had only one seat left, and Jonathan would be unable to sit near him. Jonathan was forced to find another table. No sooner did he sit down, when Carl sat down right next to him. If there had been an available seat at another table, Jonathan would have moved. Since he couldn't leave, he chose to ignore Carl. Carl had an ego that reached somewhere far out in the stratosphere, but Jonathan was doing a masterful job of deflating it.
Carl couldn't stand not knowing what was wrong. He turned to Jonathan, and asked in the most humble voice he had ever used before, "What's with the attitude? What did I do to hurt you? Didn't you have fun last night?"
Carl was being so plaintive, that Jonathan weakened. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's me."
"Tell me then, what's wrong between us?"
"Everything! It's all fucked up. I think I'm crazy in love with someone. I'm really not sure because I've never been in love before, but he wants nothing to do with me. I don't know why. And you seem to have feelings for me, and I don't have any for you. You want to know why. It's because I love this other guy."
"What can I do to try to win you over? Let me take you out for dinner tonight, and give me, I mean give us a chance to talk about it. There's a nice little restaurant a few miles from here, a couple of towns over on the way to Chicago." Carl's tone of voice had changed from humble to plaintive.
"I'll go out with you under one condition," Jonathan said.
"Yes, what?"
"Actually, you bored me to death last night. Promise me you won't spend the whole evening talking about yourself, and all the men you've fucked, because of how handsome you are. If I'm your date, make me feel like I'm the only one in your life."
Somehow Jonathan put a crack in Carl's brain cells, and he had a glimmer of why he had no trouble getting laid, but why he couldn't score in the love department. He looked at Jonathan, and said. "I promise, but if I slip, feel free to stop me, and point out what I am doing. I wasn't even aware of it."
"What kind of restaurant are you going to take me to?" Jonathan asked.
"It's a Cuban restaurant, and the food is to die for."
All Jonathan could think was "Fuck you, Mark Lopez. You're going to miss some "hometown" cooking."
From his table Mark could see Jonathan and that guy (he didn't know his name) deep in conversation. He was hurting more than ever, but looking at the two men together, he concluded that they had a lot in common, and would make for a much happier match than he and Jonathan ever would.
Carl drove to the restaurant, and he kept reaching over to cop a feel of Jonathan's crotch. Jonathan sat as close to the console as possible to make it easier for Carl. Whenever Carl stopped for a light, Jonathan felt up Carl. While he was doing it, all he could think of was, "Fuck you, Mark. Who needs you?"
The truth is that he needed Mark. He was hopelessly in love. Try as he might, he couldn't turn off his feelings like a faucet. Love was not something you could wash away in the shower.
The restaurant was charming and it did have an authentic Latin flavor. I've got to bring Mark here, Jonathan thought. Then he realized that he would never get the opportunity.
During dinner the two men kept fondling each other under the table. They were both as hard as nails. Their lust was increasing by the minute. Carl whispered in Jonathan's ear, "How'd you like to go back to that clearing behind the high school?"
"I can't think of a better way to end the evening."
"Good," Carl smiled. "I'm better prepared tonight. I've got condoms and lube." Jonathan smiled back. As much as he wished that Carl was Mark sitting beside him, he knew that it was not to be.
It was chillier today than the evening before. Carl was prompted to say, "We'll have to find a different place next time, an indoor place. It's getting too cold for outdoor activities."
Jonathan wasn't interested in another time, but deep down inside he knew that there would be. Carl knew just how to satisfy his lust. Even more important, Carl hardly displayed his vanity tonight, although Jonathan had to warn him a few times.
Carl was way more experienced than Jonathan. He entered Jonathan with as little pain as possible, and Jonathan came twice that evening, once while Carl was fucking him, and again when he was inside of Carl. Jonathan was actually grateful for the lesson. His lust ebbed for the moment, but he feared that when it was renewed, he would give into Carl yet again. He was in agony. It was Mark he wanted to make love with, and not merely to have sex with.
After dinner, Mark went back to his room to do homework and study. Unfortunately that was a lost cause. All he could think about was the love he threw away, and how he had lost his best chance at happiness. Why had he allowed his insecurity to have sent Jonathan packing? His humble background didn't seem to bother Jonathan at all. But what if it bothered his parents a great deal? Mark made one excuse after another.
He lamented not falling in love with someone from back home. Then there would be no racial and socio-economic barriers to their love. Eventually, he closed his books and took a long stroll around campus. It was a little too chilly for strolling, so he went back to the dorm, crept under his cover, and whacked off dreaming that Jonathan was doing it for him.
Five
Confessions
The next day Jonathan thought long and hard about what he had done. He had the courage to tell Carl what his problem was, and the man was not as much puffed up and vain last night as he had been. Aside from the sex, Jonathan's date was not as bad as he expected it would be. Secure in his new found knowledge that truth was the best possibility, he decided not to beat around the bush and to ask Mark what was wrong between them, just as Carl had asked him. He was so adamant about getting at the truth, he vowed to push Mark to the wall, if necessary.
He texted Mark: "Please give me a chance to talk to you. Meet me somewhere soon." He thought long and hard about it, and finally added: "I LUV U." J.
Mark was very shocked, and he was more confused than ever. He had confided his background to Jonathan, and still the guy loved him. He knew they would have to meet and thrash it out.
He texted back: I'm working lunch today. Meet me at the lily pond behind Stanton Hall at 4 PM. M.
Moments later he got another text from Jonathan: Thank U! Thank U! Thank U. J.
It was hard for Jonathan to get through the day. The meeting was all he could think about. Mark was much less agitated. He still believed that nothing would come of this meeting, so he was braced for an unhappy ending.
When Jonathan saw Mark face to face at the lily pond, he wanted to grab and kiss him, but he restrained himself. He remained forthright and determined.
"Why are you dumping me?" Jonathan asked.
Mark lowered his head and said nothing, so Jonathan continued. "We were both hiding our sexual orientation from the world and from each other. Without either of us coming out to each other, we knew. That's because of the chemistry between us. Doesn't that count for anything? I'm not letting this go until I have an explanation. I'll bug you until we both graduate."
Mark finally found his voice. "It'll never work between us. You're a WASP from Middle America; white, Protestant, cute as the dickens, and I'm a Latino from the ghettos of Miami, ten shades darker than you. Oh Jonathan, we are so different; different cultures, and different religions. We wouldn't last a year."
Jonathan looked at Mark incredulously. "Are you kidding me? That's what you perceive is keeping you from me? What ancient world are you living in? I can't change my color any more than you can, but if you want, I'll change my religion. I love you so much. I'm not asking for a commitment. Just please give us a chance."
"Wait, there's more," Mark said. "It's not only our backgrounds and our different social upbringings, it's economics as well. I have no money, and I can't do all the things you will want to do. I refuse for you to treat me to anything. It demeans me."
"Another problem solved," Jonathan said. "We won't go anywhere. We'll stay home and make love constantly. They say you can't live on love alone, but I know we can.," Jonathan was begging now.
"You're a hopeless romantic and a dangerous dreamer," Mark said. "Besides, I'm a virgin. I don't know if I can make love constantly."
"Let's try. Your roommate is going home for the weekend. It gives me a few ideas. I'd rather make love with you than eat out anyway. We can cancel Friday night."
"Good. I didn't know where I would get the money to go Dutch."
"It's too bad you're so rigid. I found a great Cuban restaurant not far away. You'd love it."
"A Cuban restaurant in this part of the world?" Mark asked in wonderment. I don't believe it."
"You'd better believe it. Would it be all right if I took you there on your birthday, and treated you?"
"I guess so," Mark murmured.
"It's almost dinner time," Jonathan noted. "Will you please have dinner with me? I'll let you carry my tray."
"Jerk," Mark said, and he began to laugh. On the other hand Jonathan began to cry.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked with concern.
"Nothing's wrong. It's just that I love you so much, I can't believe the universe brought us together."
"We're not together. This is a trial run. Remember?"
Jonathan looked at his watch. "It's past five," he said. "It's a little early, but we might as well go to dinner."
Dinner began serving at five, and they were among the first to arrive. There were plenty of available tables. They sat down and moments later Carl joined them.
"Are you following me?" Jonathan asked. His tone was disdainful.
"Yes and no," Carl said. "I'm following you to thank you for opening my eyes, and after you introduce me to your boyfriend, I have a proposal."
"No threesomes," Jonathan said.
"Your mind is in the gutter. I had no such intention. I want to show you my appreciation, and I would like to treat you and your boyfriend here (whose name I still don't know) to a weekend in Chicago. I'll take you to my favorite gay bar."
Jonathan looked at Mark. "I'd like you to meet Carl," he said. "Carl this is Mark. He's the love of my life." Mark turned red.
"Pleased to meetcha," Carl said, "but what about my proposal. It would give me great pleasure."
"This is different, Mark" Jonathan said. "There's no way, you can construe this to be charity."
"I know, and I'd like for us to accept, but remember I work the dinner shift on Sundays. We'll have to be back here by 4 PM."
"Not a problem," Carl said.
"I'll see to it," Jonathan added.
"Can I join you guys for dinner now?" Carl asked.
"Yes, be our guest," Jonathan said.
Carl went up to the chow line to get his dinner, and Mark said, "I guess our romantic weekend is off."
"Not necessarily. Carl took my virginity and he's an excellent teacher. The three of us will no doubt share a hotel room. Let's see what happens."
"By the way," Mark asked. "What did you do for him that he wants to express his gratitude?"
"It's complicated," Jonathan said. "I'll explain when we're alone. He grabbed Mark's hand as if he was afraid of losing him again.
During dinner, Carl said, "I know you guys aren't interested in a three way, but I sense that you're newbies. I'll teach you everything I know if you don't mind me watching."
It was as if he had heard every word of their conversation while he was filling up his tray. Jonathan and Mark looked at him in astonishment.
"We won't mind at all," Jonathan said, but Mark wasn't so sure. Again his cheeks turned very rosy.
When dinner was over, Carl said, "Let's try to get on the road by 5 PM on Friday. I'll drive. It was nice to meetcha, Mark. Ciao, until Friday."
Mark thought that he would have to wait until the weekend to lose his virginity, but Jonathan had other ideas. "Come with me," he said.
He led Mark to the students' parking lot, and to his car. "Sit," he said. "I'm driving us to Paradise."
He drove to the high school and parked as close to the woods as possible. The chilly weather was gone, and more seasonal temperatures prevailed. In fact, it was warm even for early September. Jonathan led Mark to the little secluded clearing.
"I didn't expect to be here tonight," he said, "so I'm not fully prepared, but if you'll let me I'd like to give you a blow job."
"Of course I'll let you. I want you to take my virginity, and then I'd like to do the same to you."
They dropped their pants and underwear rapidly and sat down on the grass. Mark expected Jonathan to go right down on him, but instead, he started to kiss Mark.
"I've wanted to do this since I met you," he said.
They offered each other some tongue, and the kissing got more and more passionate. As they kissed they fondled each other. Mark noted that Jonathan was cut and at least an inch longer than he was. Jonathan noted that Mark was uncut and just as hefty as he.
Suddenly Jonathan sensed that Mark was near to climaxing, and he finally went down on him. Just a few short strokes of his tongue brought Mark to the end. He gushed into Jonathan's mouth, and as he came, he yelled, "I love you too, Jonathan. I've loved you since we met."
Jonathan swallowed all of Mark's cum. He saved nothing for his lover. He reckoned that Mark would get plenty of his cum in just a few minutes.
Six
Happily Ever After
On the drive to Chicago, a festive mood prevailed in Carl's car. As diverse as the driver and his passengers were, they were all bonding as friends, if not for life, at least for the next two academic years until Carl graduated.
"I always stay at the same hotel when I go into town," Carl announced. "It's run down and somewhat seedy, but it's clean, and it's only for two nights. I usually go in on Saturday mornings, so then it's only for one night. Best of all, they have a free parking lot behind the hotel."
Carl wasn't kidding. It was the kind of place that rented by the hour. The hotel didn't even have bellhops. Fortunately, all that each of the students had with them was a toiletry kit. They booked a double room with two standard-sized beds. Mark stared at the beds. He still feared what was to come. On the other hand, Carl and Jonathan bounced on the beds, and announced that they were fuck worthy.
"It's late," Carl said. "Let's wash up and we'll go to my favorite gay bar. Lucky for us, it's only a short walk away from here."
"If you hook up with someone tonight," Jonathan tutored Carl, "remember, do not talk about yourself. Try to learn as much as you can about the guy. Make him think that he's really special, and you're really into him."
"Yes, teach. That's the best advice anyone ever gave me."
For Mark and Jonathan this was their first time in a gay bar, mixing with other gay men. They were beset with guys who wanted to talk to them, and become friends. Several of these men were fellow students. They all recognized one another and embraced in a newly-found brotherhood. None of them cared to hug Carl. His reputation at school had marked him as someone to stay away from.
Carl was too aggressive to tolerate that shit. One of the students shunning him was almost as handsome as Carl. In fact, Carl had the hots for him from the get-go. He approached the guy, who groaned silently from within.
Carl stuck out his hand. "Hi," he said, "my name's Carl. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF."
Carl's clever approach forced the handsome dude to respond. He shook Carl's hand and said, "My name's Ryan."
"That's nice to know, Ryan, but it doesn't tell me what I want to know. Where are you from? What year are you in? What's your major? What are your hopes and dreams? I'd really like to get to know you."
The surprised look on Ryan's face was adorable. This must be a different Carl Upman than the one he had heard about.
"Sure," he said, "I'll tell you my deepest, darkest secrets if you do the same, but not until after I buy you a drink." He grabbed Carl's hand and they headed for the bar. None of this escaped Jonathan's notice.
Mark and Jonathan were lucky to find a small unoccupied table for four and they sat down. They held the other two chairs for Carl and his new friend. When Ryan and Carl got their drinks, Jonathan waved them over. Introductions were made, and Carl returned to the bar to get drinks for Mark and Jonathan who were younger than the legal drinking age. They both asked for gin and tonics.
When Carl returned, Ryan whispered in his ear, "We won't be able to tell each other our secrets. It's too crowded at the table."
"We can do it later when we're in bed together, just the two of us." A big grin covered Ryan's face. Handsome and more handsome were going to make it tonight. Ryan reached under the table and laid his palm on Carl's crotch. What could Carl do? He did the same to Ryan.
"Jonathan, why don't you and Mark get up and dance? I want to talk to Ryan privately," Carl requested.
Jonathan got the picture. He grabbed Mark's hand and dragged him to the dance floor. The music currently playing had a Latin beat, and Mark started to Salsa all around Jonathan, who was at a loss what to do.
"See," Mark laughed. "I told you we were incompatible."
"Maybe so, Buster, but we'll never be incompatible in the bedroom. I love you too much to let that happen."
At the table, Ryan confided to Carl. "I was hoping to hook up with a local tonight, so I didn't book a room yet. How about you?"
I'm in a double with my two friends. There are two beds in the room. They'll be going at it in one bed, and I'll be all alone in the other. I hate to sleep alone. How'd you like to share the other bed with me, if you won't find it too embarrassing?"
Ryan responded by giving Carl a soft, closed-mouth kiss. "Not at all," he said. "The more the merrier, but those two look like they're too much in love to share."
"Well, they were both virgins until this week. They met and fell in love. I intended on seducing the two of them tonight. You can help me. How will they realize how good it is together, if they never have anything to compare it with?"
"Your proposals get better and better every time you make one."
When Mark and Jonathan returned, Carl said, "Ryan is sharing our room tonight. We're both seasoned veterans, so be prepared for the most sensual instructions of your life."
"It better be hotter than the instructions I got in the schoolyard on how to jerk off," Jonathan quipped.
Mark said nothing. He was scared stiff and shaking like a leaf. As frightened as he was, he looked forward to the experience. This whole scene was so new to him. Suddenly Mark did not feel like an outsider any more. He felt like a brother to every guy in the bar.
The four college men had a wonderful time socializing at the gay bar, but they were all too young and horny to stay too late. Slightly drunk, they trudged back to the hotel.
Their room was buzzing with anticipation and lust. The shower was only big enough for one at a time, but they managed two at a time. It was the first shower Mark and Jonathan ever took together. It got them clean enough, but it wasn't much of a shower. All they did was hug, kiss and fondle until Carl yelled at them to get out and give him and Ryan a chance.
After their shower, Carl shared his toothbrush with Ryan. It was an act of intimacy that meant more than a poke up the ass. When they left the bathroom, all four men were naked, and Carl had the audacity to ask Mark and Jonathan, "Do you want to watch or just ask questions?"
"Both," Jonathan answered. "We haven't done anal yet. Would you advise us what to do so we don't hurt each other, and could we watch you guys do it?"
"Do you want to fuck or be fucked first?" Carl asked Ryan.
"Please fuck me first, babe. There's nothing like it in the whole world, but you better not chicken out on me after you cum."
"Yeah, like that's gonna happen. You just said yourself that it was the greatest thing in the world."
Carl took condoms and lube from his kit. He showed his students how to apply the condom, grease up, and stretch his partner's asshole using an ever increasing number of fingers.
"I'm ready now," he said and he threw the condoms and the lube at Mark and Jonathan. He entered Ryan missionary style. His entry seemed effortless, and Ryan kept sighing and uttering how good it felt.
Carl didn't move a muscle. He wanted to savor this moment. He had never felt this way before and didn't know what was happening to him. Suddenly he yelled out, "Thank you Jonathan for teaching me how to act with a guy I'm really into beside myself. You saved my life."
Mark and Jonathan looked at the lube and condoms, and laughed. "I think we can forgo the rubbers," Mark suggested. "I've only fucked and been fucked once, by Carl, and we were very well protected. FYI, I'll never do it again with anyone except you, but we better use plenty of goo in our virgin and near virgin asses."
Later that evening when Ryan and Carl suggested switching partners, Jonathan gave them a resounding no and Mark agreed.
"You know," Carl whispered in Ryan's ear. "I really don't care. I'd rather be with you than anyone else."
"It's crazy," Ryan whispered back. "I've always been a player, but right now, I'm happy and content to be with you alone. I know just how Mark and Jonathan feel."
Mark and Jonathan were already committed. It took Ryan and Carl a few weeks longer to commit to each other. In the spirit of every good romance story, Mark and Jonathan lived happily ever after, and Carl and Ryan lived happily for now.
The end (also for now) ...