Life Beginning - 1. Chapter 1

Life Beginning

 

 

Chapter 1

 

Sam

 

“Alright everyone, that’s all for today!” shouted Professor Sampson as the entire room erupted in noise from everyone shuffling out of their seats. “Don’t forget, your term papers are due next Wednesday. 10 pages minimum. No excuses! Twenty percent of your grade is at stake here, folks!”

 

I followed the crowd of students out of the lecture hall, my book bag firmly in my grip and over my right shoulder. I was desperate to get out of there and back to the dorm. I had so much work to do. It was Friday; I should be able to enjoy myself some this weekend, yet my procrastinating alter-ego was having none of it.

 

I exited the building, the crisp, yet comfortable, fall air surrounding me as I walked tersely across the South Patio and across the street to my dorm. September was finally upon us, the summer now but a memory. It was my third year at Tennessee Technological University. I was majoring in Math and Education. Teaching had always been my dream. Now that I’d made it three years, so far, I was on my way to realizing it.

 

I got to my dorm; my roommate, Derrick, was at his desk as usual this time of day.

 

“Hey Sam,” he said smiling as I entered. Derrick and I had roomed together since freshman year. We were already great friends by this point.

 

“Hey, D. Enjoying your free period before practice?” Derrick was a football player on the team.

 

“Yeah you know it. Studying up for the Chem quiz on Monday. This class is kicking my ass.”

 

“You know I’ve always offered to help you, yet you never accept it. It's mostly math, in case you’ve forgotten.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “I’m just worried you’ll do nothing but perv all over my body while you ‘help me out’.”

 

“Oh ha ha, very funny. I know a lost cause when I see one.” Derrick loved to pick on me for being gay.

 

“You never know, bro. A little alcohol can do wonders.”

 

“I’m not stooping to that level. I have class.”

 

“Yeah. And you have ass.”

 

I threw a pillow at Derrick’s head, hitting him dead on.

 

“Whoa, dude,” he shouted, still smiling. Derrick really was awesome.

 

“I may have ass, but you’re never getting it, drunk or not. You’re straight, remember?”

 

“And we’re in college, remember?” he retorted, flashing me his trademark grin,that really did a number on me.

 

“Fuck off, D.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

I sat down and opened my European History textbook and began to take some notes for my term paper. Ten pages? Yeah right. History was not my thing. Now, ten pages all about the quadratic formula, it’d be chump change.

 

My note-taking was interrupted by a buzzing sound from my phone. I picked it up and smiled.

 

“Hello gorgeous,” I said.

 

“Hey love. What are you up to?”

 

“Taking notes for Sampson’s stupid term paper. Wanna write it for me for fifty bucks?”

 

“FIFTY BUCKS? You sound desperate.”

 

“As always, ‘Chelle. What’s up?”

 

“Claire and I are headed to the UC for some grub. Meet us at South Patio? We’ll go together.”

 

“Oh right, because S'barro, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and the Tech Grill are so so healthy.”

 

“Oh c’mon. You know you want to.”

 

“Yeah you’re right. I should meet up with you. Derrick’s trying to rape me.”

 

“Dude!” shouted Derrick from his desk.

 

“Oh, well if y'all need some time alone…”

 

“Girl, shut the fuck up,” I snickered. “I’ll meet you at South.”

 

“Great! And bring your goofball roommate with you. You know he needs carbs and shit.”

 

“Alright, we’ll be there.”

 

I ended the call and put my pen down. “C’mon, D. We’re going to eat.”

 

“With the girls?” he asked.

 

“No, with your mom.”

 

“Dude, mom’s not supposed to be here for another week. Hold up, you told her I was raping you?” Derrick asked, flabbergasted.

 

“Bro, you’re being stupid. Yes, dinner with the girls. Now, come on!” I began to lightly poke Derrick in his sides, his ticklish spot.

 

“Ok, ok, ok, dude stop! I’m coming!”

 

“Oh that’ll be messy.”

 

~*~*~*~*

 

Derrick and I met up with Michelle and Claire at the South Patio. A few minutes later, cutting up and laughing as usual, we sat down in the cafeteria to eat our dinner. Conversations at dinner time between the four of us was always random and hilarious, and usually pretty dirty. There was never a dull moment with our sense of humors.

 

“Oh my god that’s so fucking funny!” laughed Claire. “Did she seriously say that?”

 

“Oh yeah!” giggled Derrick. “She was all like ‘put it in me, daddy, put it in,’” he said, imitating some high pitched voice.

 

“I’m assuming you did the deed with this chick, then?” asked Michelle.

 

“Dude, we went at it for three hours! I think my bed became a wet sponge.”

 

“Oh my god, gross,” I replied while Claire and Michelle laughed their asses off.

 

“Ah, the resident homo is grossed out!” giggled Claire.

 

“First time for everything!” laughed Michelle.

 

“Bro, she’s got a point,” said Derrick. “We should hook you up with a chick.”

 

I looked at Derrick with disdain. “Um, I have a strict no-vag policy.”

 

“Bro, if you do it, I’ll suck your dick.”

 

“I don’t want to experience the pain and suffering you’d cause me. I’d rather take my chances with Sampson.”

 

A collective groan resonated across the table.

 

“Bro, that guy’s gotta be like, ninety or something,” said Derrick.

 

“At least he’d be toothless once he took his teeth out,” said Michelle.

 

Everyone was laughing at me while I gave them a dour look.

 

“Ok ok, ewww. I’ll take the blow job, sans vaginal contact,” I said.

 

The girls laughed while Derrick gave me his ‘fuck me’ look.

 

“A little alcohol works wonders,” he said.

 

We all laughed at Derrick’s remark and continued eating. When we finished, we got up and decided we wanted to hang out some more. We had the whole weekend to study.

 

“You guys want to walk over to Sherlock Park and smoke? I brought the good candy today,” said Claire.

 

“Weed?” Derrick asked, his interest piqued.

 

“No, silly. That’s illegal. Marlborough Menthol hundreds.”

 

“Oh, that good candy. Yeah I’m totally in,” said Derrick.

 

“I’m game,” said Michelle.

 

“Sure, count me in,” I responded.

 

~*~*~*~*~*

We layed out on the park lawn laughing at each other’s corny remarks about the mundane things in our lives. We really enjoyed our time together. After a couple of hours, the sky started to take on a deeper orange hue, signaling the arrival of the mild fall evening. The girls gave Derrick and me hugs and bade us farewell. We went back to our dorm room. Derrick had football practice soon so he was just heading back to grab his gear before heading to the field.

 

As we entered the dorm hall, Derrick’s cell phone rang. He motioned for me to hold up and wait as he placed the phone to his ear.

 

“Hey coach,” he said.

 

A few moments of silence passed before Derrick nodded his head and smiled.

 

“Ok, sounds good. Yep, see you.”

 

“What’s up?” I asked as Derrick placed his phone back in his pocket.

 

“Practice is canceled tonight and the rest of the weekend. We’ll pick back up on Monday.”

 

“Oh sweet!”

 

“I know right.”

 

“Whatever will you do with this extra free time?” I asked, feigning concern.

 

“Probably just get drunk and attempt to do sexy things with you,” Derrick said with a goofy smile.

 

“Whatever you say.”

 

We entered the dorm room without much fanfare. I went over to my desk and opened up my laptop to work on my term paper. Derrick rummaged through his chest of drawers and headed towards the bathroom.

 

“I’m taking a shower,” he announced. “If you need the toilet, now’s your chance.”

 

“I’m good. Go and be manly in the shower,” I teased.

 

“Always,” he replied coolly.

 

I concentrated on my term paper as Derrick showered. I hated history. I could not stand memorizing dates of historical events or names of historical people, let alone get involved enough to write a term paper full of these things. I decided that I did well enough in the class as a whole that I could likely half-ass the paper, not that I’d purposefully do that, but the temptation was noticeable. I made some notes and began writing. I’d somehow managed to get a full page and a half of material written by the time Derrick got out of the shower.

 

Derrick went over to his bed, still wrapped in his towel. I snorted slightly at him.

 

“Forget your clothes?” I asked teasingly.

 

“No, not necessarily,” he responded.

 

“Um, ok.”

 

I averted my gaze away from a nearly naked Derrick, focusing my laptop screen. Derrick was my best friend, there was no denying he was hot. His chest was muscular, but still slightly pudgy. He had broad shoulders that were perfectly toned, a clear sign of how much he worked out. Along with his shoulders, his neck had also broadened, giving him an overall beefier look. He was certainly a distraction, one that I didn’t need right now.

 

I sat there staring at the screen in front of me, fully aware of my growing erection. I shifted around in my seat, attempting to make my cock move downwards, but to no avail. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable at this moment. I stared and stared at the computer screen, begging and begging my hard-on to subside, yet no matter what I thought about, or how hard I tried, it would not go away. I was so frustrated.

 

Derrick let out a sigh. I then heard his towel fall to the floor. I looked over at him, knowing full well what I’d see. His ass, so plump, yet firm, was staring at me from across the room. My mouth went dry at the sight of it. My erection jumped underneath the fabric of my pants. The silence in the room was deafening. I had to say something.

 

Anything.

 

“Um, dude,” I said feebly. “You dropped your towel.

 

Derrick slowly turned around to face me. His fully hard cock stretched out from his torso, pulsing with his heartbeat. I could not help but stare at it with my widened eyes. It was the perfect diameter, not too thick, not too thin, just right. By the looks of it, it had to be around seven and a half inches long. I looked at Derrick’s balls, noticing they were perfectly shaved.

 

“Yeah I guess I did,” responded Derrick after allowing me to stare for what felt like a very long time.

 

“Um, I’m writing,” I said lightly, almost a whisper.

 

“Take a break,” said Derrick softly. I’m curious about some things.”

 

I got out of my chair and took a step towards him before stopping.

 

“No. You’re straight. You’re my best friend. I can’t.”

 

“Yes you can. You’re my best friend, too. You need this right now.”

 

He then sat down on the edge of his bed and laid back, his feet dangling from the floor. I went to him and knelt in between his legs, taking his cock in my hand and lightly stroked it.

 

“Yes, I do,” I breathed just before taking his cock in my mouth.

 

Bliss!

 

I was in heaven. God how I’d missed doing this. It had been far too long. He tasted perfect and fit perfectly. Sucking Derrick was not at all difficult. I was loving it. Based on the moans of pleasure and appreciation coming out of Derrick’s mouth, he was loving this just as much as I was.

 

On and on I went, performing my ministrations on his cock. Over time, I removed my clothing until I was also naked. It wasn’t long before Derrick’s hand was massaging my cock as I sucked him.

 

“Okay stop,” said Derrick suddenly. I was worried he’d freaked out. I stopped and looked up, looking slightly worried. His smile put me at east.

 

“Your turn.”

 

In no time I was on his bed, my head on his pillow. Derrick knelt over my body and began to stroke my cock. He stroked it for a few moments before looking at me with an impish grin.

 

“What?” I asked, chuckling.

 

“Nothing. I’m just loving this right now.”

 

“So am I.”

 

Suddenly I let out a gasp of pleasure as Derrick mouth engulfed me. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Oh my god! He was awesome! Here it is a guy who says he’s straight sucking my cock and rocking at it! I was amazed.

 

My thoughts of amazement turned to nothingness as I relished in the pleasure he was giving me. On and on he went; he made me feel like I was in heaven. It would take no time for me reach the point of no return.

 

“Derrick, I’m getting close,” I panted. Very close.”

 

He stopped sucking me and began to jack me off. In no time at all I was squirting my load all over my body. When I finished, Derrick looked at me with amazement.

 

“I’ve never seen a guy shoot that much.”

 

“I’m sure you haven’t.” I made to get up from the bed.

 

Derrick placed a hand on my shoulder and looked worried.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“Nowhere. It’s your turn.”

 

“Yeah it is,” he smiled.

 

I pushed Derrick down on his back and jerked him off to an orgasm as equally explosive as mine. Once he was done, I got his towel from the floor and wiped us both off. Once I was done, I motioned for him to scoot over. He moved over and let me lay next to him. We cuddled for a while, enjoying the afterglow of our experience.

 

“That was amazing,” I said.

 

“I agree, it was. Sorry if I made it weird.”

 

“You didn’t. I mean yeah, you distracted me, standing there naked while I was trying to do my paper. Obviously I didn’t complain.”

 

“No, you didn’t.”

 

“So um, wow, no alcohol huh?”

 

“Yeah. Imagine that.”

 

“So why?” I asked. “Why did you want this?”

 

Derrick let out a sigh.

 

“I um, I’ll do my best to explain this. I um, I’ve been curious about doing stuff with you for a while. I mean, you’re my best friend, and you went through the shit storm with Paul. And I mean, hell, whenever I’d see you with a guy here at school, you’re just never happy. You’d always bitch about something to do with them.”

 

“Well they all sucked,” I chuckled.

 

“Yeah I bet,” he winked.

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

We laughed for a moment at the joke. We really did mesh well together.

 

“But yeah,” continued Derrick. “I’ve been curious about doing this with you for a while. I thought that I liked you enough to give it a shot.”

 

“So, what? Do you have a crush on me?”

 

Derrick thought for a moment before answering.

 

“As much as it scares me to admit it, yes. I think I do. I just want to be with you; be there with you. I just want to make you happy.”

 

“You’re so sweet, D.”

 

“Yeah well, so are you. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be with a guy who does that for you.”

 

“So, what?” I asked inquisitive. “You think you’re that guy?”

 

“Perhaps,” he replied with a sly grin.

 

“I suppose we shall see, won’t we?”

 

“Yes we will. I just have one ground rule, however.”

 

“What’s that, D?”

 

“You have to share the bed with me every night from here on out, no matter what, k?”

 

“Every night? Damn you must be horny.”

 

Derrick rolled over on top of me, a goofy smile on his face.

 

“You have no idea,” he said, before proceeding to blow me again.

 

~*~*~*~*~*

Will

 

Blake and I laid in bed, basking in the afterglow of some amazing sex. I laid there thinking about how well our relationship was going, how well we complimented each other, and how far I’d come over the last couple of years with him. I’d done some serious growing up since I started school at Northwestern. My grades were decent, my life had mellowed (as mellow as a college kid’s life can be) and my maturity had grown.

 

“What are you thinking about?” asked Blake, seeing my thoughtful expression.

 

“Just things. Mainly you,” I smiled.

 

“I bet,” he said winking. “You up for another round?”

 

“Hmmm, you know I’m always up for being with you. But I’m getting hungry. We should go out.”

 

“Okay. Where do you want to go?”

 

“How about Ba Ba Reeba’s? I’m craving paella and tapas.” My stomach chose to rumble at that point.

 

Blake chuckled and rubbed my belly. “Alright then let’s go.”

 

“Why don’t we shower first?” I asked suggestively.

 

“Lead the way,” he said, extending his hand.

 

~*~*~*~*~*

We enjoyed our dinner at the popular Spanish café in Boystown. Since Boystown was an area teeming with many members of the LGBT community, I felt at ease here, which was the complete opposite of how I felt back home. I thought about my home life and how so much had changed since I came here for school. I finally had freedom all the time, not just when we went on vacations.

 

“Anything else I can get you?” asked our cute waiter Raul.

 

“How about another pitcher of sangria?” asked Blake.

 

“Of course,” he winked before disappearing to get it.

 

“He clearly wants us,” I said elegantly.

 

“Oh he’s definitely hot,” agreed Blake. “I’m just not sure about having a third wheel. I mean, I’m having a great time with just you.”

 

“Oh so am I. I just thought it might be fun.”

 

“Oh I’m sure it would be. Maybe sometime in the future.”

 

“Okay cool. It was just a thought.”

 

Raul returned with the pitcher, his smile so perfect.

 

“I put in extra oranges for you, Will, as I know you love them.”

 

“Gracias, Raul. You know me so well.”

 

“It is my job, no?” he said flirtatiously.

“Si,” I responded, smiling sweetly.

 

Raul chuckling lightly, his tan face blushing a light shade of pink. It was adorable.

 

“Here you go. Enjoy a glass for me. I could use some right about now.”

 

“I can imagine. You’ve been busy tonight,” I said.

 

“Of course. Gotta make the money, si?”

 

“Si.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*

Blake and I sat together in silence as the train sped northward back toward Evanston. For a Friday evening, the train was not too full, but I didn’t mind. I found I could rest my head on Blake’s shoulder without anyone noticing.

 

We arrived at our stop and began walking towards our condo. Blake’s dad owned a successful real estate company. The company owned the condo we lived in. We had a cozy arrangement with his dad. Blake worked full time at a big corporation in The Loop. I worked part-time at the university library just to have some extra money. Our rent was heavily discounted After rent, we were still able to save up a decent amount of our money for fun things.

 

Blake and I liked to get out and about on a fairly regular basis. His work schedule was a typical Monday through Friday set up. My school schedule allowed me some decent flexibility that allowed us to enjoy our weekends. Normally, we would just go into Evanston and bask in the vibrant theatre scene. Sometimes, we’d head into Chicago proper and take in the activities happening there. The one routine we did adopt was a morning walk along the lakefront trail, starting at Museum Campus, then breakfast at a fascinating restaurant on Michigan Avenue. called Yolk.

 

We walked into the condo and plopped onto the sofa, tired and full from dinner. We found a decent foreign film on Netflix and settled in for the evening.

 

“Wanna go to bed?” Blake asked once the film was over.

 

“You know I do” I said suggestively.

 

Before I knew it, Blake and I were feverishly making out and shedding our clothes as we slowly made our way to the bedroom. When we finished a few hours later, I put my head on his shoulder with my hand draped across his chest, ready to go to sleep

 

“Walk in the morning?” asked Blake quietly.

“As always,” I responded before dozing off safely in Blake’s arms.

~*~*~*~*~*

On the trail, the sun rising over the expanse of Lake Michigan, we walked at a moderate pace. We decided to go southward from Museum Campus at the Shedd Aquarium, past Adler Planetarium, Northerly Island, and Soldier Field before stopping at 31^st Street Beach and turning around.

 

“Wow, it’s such a gorgeous morning,” said Blake as we began to come up on McCormick Place headed back northbound.

 

“It really is,” I replied, looking warmly back at him.

 

“I know we have a cozy set up in Evanston with the condo from Dad. But, I think it might be cool to move down this way, you know? Maybe once you finish at Northwestern? We’d be able to walk to our morning walk,” he said chuckling. “You know, instead of taking the train. Plus I’d be closer to work and you’d be right where all the action is.”

 

“Perhaps,” I replied thoughtfully. “Where would you be interested in moving to?”

 

“Oh, maybe Boystown or Downtown? Some place in or near The Loop would be cool.”

 

“It’d be so expensive, like more than what we’d be paying if we didn’t get a sweet deal from your dad.”

 

“True, but I make more than enough money at work to afford a place here, as long as we were to put down a sizeable down payment, of course.”

 

“My parents put a huge chunk of change in a bank account for me that I haven’t even touched.”

 

“Oh really?” Blake asked, his interest piqued. “Around how much?”

 

“I’d say it’s enough that if I really wanted to, and I mean really wanted to, I’d be set for life.”

 

“I see. Well sometime I want you to go with me and check out a couple of places. I’ve already been looking online,” said Blake with an air of accomplishment.

 

“That’s my boyfriend, always the suave planner,” I said with loving admiration.

 

“Thanks, babe,” he said, giving me a kiss.

 

We exited the trail and followed the pathways through the southern portion of Grant Park, passing under the various tunnels. At this point in the morning, there were plenty of people about, all of them taking in the gorgeous scenery of the park’s landscaping.

 

We crossed Lake Shore Drive over to Roosevelt Avenue without much fanfare. We’d almost reached our destination when a voice called out to us from our left.

 

“Hey guys! Guys!”

 

We looked over to the source of the voice and were pleasantly surprised.

 

“Raul! Good morning,” said Blake extending his hand.

 

“Why hello there, Raul!” I beamed.

 

Raul pulled me into a quick hug, which I returned.

 

“I saw you guys coming over from the park and just had to catch up with you. How are you?” asked Raul, slightly out of breath from apparently running as well.

 

“We’re just finishing up our morning walk. We’re headed to breakfast,” replied Blake.

 

“Oh bien, bien! Where are you going?”

 

“We’re headed to Yolk on Michigan.”

 

“Oh Yolk! It’s one of my favorites!”

 

“Oh Raul! You must join us for breakfast,” I offered. “If you have time?”

 

I looked over at Blake who didn’t seem to mind too much and then back at Raul.

 

“I don’t want to impose on your morning together,” he said sweetly.

 

At that moment the walk signal alerted the pedestrians that it was okay to cross the street.

 

“Come with us,” I said, grabbing his hand.

 

And with that, our trio crossed the street and made the right turn onto the left side of Michigan Avenue northbound. We entered the restaurant, which was very crowded by this point. We were seated in a booth towards the back of the open room without any fuss from the wait staff.

 

“The food here is so delicious. I wish I could come here more often,” said Raul as he looked at the menu.

 

“I like to get the salmon with eggs and corned beef hash,” I said. “It’s my favorite.

 

“I like the cheese blintzes, myself,” chimed in Blake.

 

“Hmm, I think I’m getting my usual, the Huevos Rancheros,” said Raul, his accent clearly present.

 

“Sounds delicious,” I replied.

 

“So Raul,” began Blake. “Do you live around here?”

 

“Oh yes, I live at the Grant Luxury Condos at Roosevelt and Indiana Avenue.”

 

“Oh wow,” exclaimed Blake. “Those are really nice condos.”

 

“Yes they are,” smiled Raul. “I got the condo with my inheritance after my parents died.”

 

“What sort of work did your parents do?” I asked.

 

“My dad was a successful architect in Madrid and Barcelona. My mother was a teacher.”

 

“Oh nice,” I smiled.

 

“Very respectable people then, I take it?” asked Blake.

 

“Yes, they were very well loved and respected back home. Most of our family and friends still live in Spain.”

 

“Very good. What brought you here?” asked Blake.

 

“I’ve always wanted to be an actor. I saw an advertisement for a supporting actor at a theatre in Boystown and flew over here to audition. They loved me, so they took me on. I came here with the blessing of my parents and have been here ever since.”

 

“That’s awesome,” I smiled. “How long has it been since your parents passed away?”

 

“About two years. My dad died of a long illness. Mom died a few months after dad. She was quite heartbroken.”

 

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Raul,” I said tenderly, taking his hand. Raul sniffled for a moment before smiling at me and Blake.

 

“Oh thank you. It’s hard at times, but I get through it. They’d be so proud of me today.”

 

“I’m sure they would,” said Blake proudly.

 

Breakfast was a casual affair once we ordered our meal. Blake and I exchanged occasional glances at each other as our time with Raul wore on. We loved him, and definitely wanted to spend more time with him.

 

“I insist you let me pay for this meal. You guys are too awesome,” said Raul after the server had taken our plates away.

 

“No, I won’t hear of it,” said Blake already taking out his wallet.

 

“No, I insist. My parents taught me that if someone invites you along to a meal and they provide stimulating conversation, you are to buy the meal. Please, it is the least I can do for friends.”

 

Blake looked at me for a moment which earned him the slightest of nods from me.

 

“Very well. But to balance, we will either have you come for dinner or give you a very nice tip next time we are at Reeba’s,” offered Blake.

 

“That is fair. Would you like to come back to my condo with me? Enjoy a breakfast cocktail or Bloody Mary?”

 

“I would love to, but I’ve got to get to work soon. I need to head home and change and then head back this way. But if he wants, I have no problem with Will joining you.”

 

I looked at Blake for a moment then at Raul, then back at Blake. Blake nodded his head to reaffirm that he was cool with me hanging with Raul alone. I turned to Raul smiling.

 

“I’d love to hang with you some more, Raul” I said sweetly.

 

“Excellent, sounds awesome. You will love the condo and the view,” he said.

 

The three of us left the restaurant. We walked to Roosevelt station to see Blake off.

 

“You two have fun – but not too much fun, okay?” he said jokingly as we walked away from the station.

 

“Sure thing, babe. See you later tonight,” I replied.

 

“I’ll text you,” he called back to me, earning him a wave.

 

When Raul and I entered his condo I was amazed at it’s beauty. There was definitely a Spanish feel with the coloring and decorations inside.

 

“Raul your place is amazing!”

 

“Thank you, Will. I did my mother and father proud with this place, I’d say.”

 

“I bet.”

 

“Would you like a Bloody Mary? It’s my secret recipe.”

 

“Yes, I’d love one.”

 

I went out to the balcony and took in the view of the lake and Grant Park. Traffic was bustling on Lake Shore Drive below. The entire site was awesome. It was a beautiful sunny and warm day. Raul came outside with two beverages. I took a sip of the drink and just about lost my mind. It was delicious!

 

“Raul, this is amazing! What’s the secret?”

 

“You need a little Old Bay seasoning and horseradish in the mix. Also, only the best tomato juice you can find. I actually use some of my homemade gazpacho in the mix.”

 

“Oh my gosh this is good. I must have the recipe. Blake will love this.”

 

“I will write it down for you before you leave.”

 

“Awesome thanks!”

 

We spent the rest of the morning on the balcony talking and enjoying the view. Raul was definitely a great guy to spend time with. It wouldn’t be hard to be friends with him. He was smart, intelligent, funny, and just very well rounded. It was almost sad when I figured it was time for me to leave.

 

“You, me, and Blake need to get together again sometime outside the restaurant. Here’s my number and the recipe for the Bloody Mary mix,” he said.

 

I took the pieces of paper he handed to me and placed them in my wallet. “Thanks, I know Blake and I will be in touch.”

 

“I know you will,” he said, his smile pristine.

 

I nodded my head in affirmation and waved him goodbye. I got to the train station and found it to be crowded with the usual afternoon rush of travelers. I settled in for the train ride to Howard to make the connection to head to Dempster where our condo was only a block away from. I figured I’d do some studying when I got there.

 

The exams I had before fall break were going to be big ones. I needed to be prepared. Two more years of this and I’d be done. Finally. And then I could finally focus on Blake and I. I didn’t need to rush into a career after school.

 

I’d managed to doze off with the thoughts going around in my head. I woke up to the train coming to a jolting stop at the Dempster station. I walked down Dempster Street to our condo and went straight to the study room we had. I laid out my books and papers and studied for a couple of hours. Afterwards I decided a short nap was needed. Before I dozed off, I allowed myself to dwell on Blake and our relationship. Blake really was a good catch. I got really lucky with him. I knew I was difficult at times but he loved me. And here we were, living the fast paced city lifestyle. I’d not have it any other way.

 

I smiled at the thought that he’d probably not have it any other way either before dosing off to a quick yet tranquil afternoon snooze in the quiet study room of our condo with the hustle and bustle of Chicago all around us.

 

Yeah. I’d never have it any other way than this.

 

~*~*~*~*~*

Blake

 

I turned the car onto Dempster Street from Chicago Avenue, glad to finally be home. I was ready to relax after work today. My team and I had a big meeting with a big client that went well but there was still a lot of preparation to do for the project we were trying to get. Needless to say I was exhausted and ready to spend some time with Will.

 

I walked up the stairs from our street level garage into the kitchen and expected to see him right as I walked in but instead I found the door locked and the residence quiet.

 

“Will?”

 

No answer. I shrugged it off thinking he was probably just held over at lab or something at school. I sat the keys down on the side table next to the stairs and tugged my tie off. I headed upstairs to take a quick shower and change. I got dressed and went back downstairs to the TV room and sat down on the couch. I took a moment to marvel at the beauty of this room. Dad had wood paneling on all the walls that was perfectly accented by black tiled flooring. This was my favorite room in the condo, except maybe for the master bedroom, especially when Will and I were in there…

 

I flicked on the TV to catch the news. The usual world news and Chicago happenings were the only things on, so I wasn’t missing much. I turned off the TV and huffed. I was bored. I didn’t like being bored.

 

Where the hell was Will?

 

As if thinking about him summoned him by magic, I heard him come up the stairs and into the kitchen. Interestingly, he was making quite a commotion as he did so. I got up and went to see what was up.

 

“Well hey there stranger. What’s all this?” I asked looking at three big bags.

 

“Hey babe,” he said slightly breathless as he gave me a kiss. “Just a bit of shopping at the Mag Mile. Raul was with me.”

 

“Oh,” I replied slightly puzzled. Will didn’t go shopping often. “Raul was with you?”

 

“Yeah, we went to Boystown to get massages at that new place on Halstead, you know the one we were talking about last week?”

 

“Oh yeah, I remember that.”

 

“Yep, we went there and then to the Mile for some clothes shopping. Raul really has good taste. I hope you like what I bought.”

 

“I’m sure I will.”

 

Will noticed my puzzled expression and tilted his head slightly to the left, something he did when he was confused or expecting me to get mad.

 

“You seem confused. Something wrong?” he asked sweetly.

 

“So, did you have lab today? Today is your normal day for it.”

 

“Oh no, Beans canceled, family illness, so we had a free day.”

 

“Ah okay, cool. Free day is always nice.”

 

“Blake is something wrong?” asked Will as he poured himself a glass of milk.

 

“No, I’m just surprised you got out today is all. Normally you’re home by now. Normally you do not go shopping, especially at the Mile. And you hate other gay guys,” I said, that last statement with a light chuckle to lighten the mood.

 

“I know right? Just Raul is really cool and a great guy. He asked me to go out with him today so having a free day, I thought why not?”

 

“So he’s not one of those militant homosexuals we need to avoid?”

Will laughed and nodded in understanding. “No babe, he’s good, promise.”

 

I pulled him in and planted a kiss on his forehead and smiled. “Good, I’m glad.”

 

“I am starving. All this running around and retail therapy has worked up an appetite. You hungry?” he asked me.

 

“Yes, I could definitely eat. What did you have in mind?”

 

“Hmm, how about Pizzeria Uno?”

 

“Oh God, that tourist trap of a pizza place?”

 

“Yeah. It’s tasty and great for people watching.”

 

“You are right about that. Let’s go, we’ll take the L.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*

 

We placed our order with the waiter and sipped our drinks, club soda with lemon for me, diet soda for Will. It was a comfortable night tonight, fall was definitely making it’s approach.

 

“So have you looked at more real estate for us lately?” Will asked.

 

“Yes I have. I had my coworker Marjorie find us some places. There a couple condos in and near the Loop we should look at. There’s also something up north we should consider as well.”

 

“Where at?”

 

“The property is in the Forest Glenn – Sauganash area. Right off the Edens. Jeff Park is the L stop.”

 

“Oh wow, that’s a fair trek away from Downtown.”

 

“Yeah it is, but the property is lovely. The home was built in the 1800s. It’s the perfect size for us. Two stories, dormer windows. Small yard out front, nice yard in the back. Tons of shade in from the trees. It’s just very cozy.”

 

Will sat for a moment before nodding thoughtfully.

 

“Okay, let’s go take a look. Set it up.”

 

“Sure thing. If we decide to get it, then we can move in once you finish school. That gives us time to get the furniture in and decorated the way we want it.”

 

Will took a sip of his drink and smiled at me.

 

“So this could be our little family home then?”

 

I smiled and chuckled lightly.

 

“Yeah something like that.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*

“Oh Blake, you really need to see this property,” said Marjorie handing me a pamphlet and taking a sip of her iced tea.

 

I looked over the pamphlet and shook my head. “The price is too low for the area. If anything, something is wrong with the house, or the lot is on shit property,” I said.

 

“Sure it may need a little work. But, with all the time you have with Will still in school, why not take the time and do it. It’s perfect for the two of you. Just the right size.”

 

I glanced at her as she took another sip of her tea, her lipstick smearing on the straw. I looked at the pamphlet again and then back her, this time to a sly grin on her face. She only thought she’d won.

 

“Nope. No can do. We really like the one in Sauqanash. We’ve got an appointment next week.” I said wryly.

 

“Eh, good choice. Just don’t forget about this one if you luck out. You call me straight away whenever you’re ready to get serious about offers. I can comp any area of town within a day. Let me know.”

 

“You know I will, Mar.”

 

“So tell me. How's William and his new friend, the Spaniard?”

 

I scoffed and took a drink of my soda.

 

“They’ve been inseparable ever since we ran into Raul at Grant Park.”

 

“Oh really?” said Marjorie, her curiosity piqued.

 

I explained everything down to the last detail about how Raul was our server at Reeba’s and how they’ve been spending a lot of time together. I ran through everything I knew from the last couple of weeks, including my last conversation with Will about it.

 

“So, you don’t seem too worried, I take it,” she said after I’d finished.

 

“To be honest, I’m not sure. I mean, I’m all for Will getting out there and spending time with other people. But lately, it seems like he’s been out later than normal on days he’s got classes. His schedule isn’t rough, but he should be home a bit more. I’ll come home from work and he’ll not be there. There’s been some nights he’ll come in late. He’ll be tired and not up for spending any quality time with me, if you follow me.”

 

She nodded in understanding and allowed me to continue.

 

“So, I’m not sure what to do. Nothing seems too out of the ordinary. I’m just not used to Will being out all the time. It’s a complete one-eighty from how things used to be.”

 

“I think you might be just a tad jealous,” said Marjorie, taking another sip of her tea.

 

“Jealous,” I scoffed. “I hardly think that I’m jealous. Will loves me and I love him. We’ve got nothing to hide from each other.” I was not pleased with Marjorie’s assumption. Me jealous? I didn’t get jealous.

 

“Look love, I know, okay? I know you love each other. But, I think there needs to be an open line of communication here. You know his schedule back to front. You know when he should be home. He isn’t home as much as he used to be. He should be open to letting you know what he’s doing after class and you should be open about expectations.”

 

“We’re not even married yet and I already should be setting ground rules? He’s young. Young people have friends and go out.” I was getting flustered.

 

“Look love, you’re not married, but you live together and are in a committed relationship. Relationships should have ground rules. Have nights that are set aside for just the two of you. Then have nights that are flexible. This way, you get to see each other and have your independent lives too. Heck, you need friends to hang with too!”

 

“Excuse me, but I have friends, thank you.”

 

“Oh? And who is that? I’ve not met them.”

 

“Graeme and Jeremy. We went to school together.”

 

“Oh, then call them up and hang with them. Not that hard, Blake.”

 

“Mar, they live in Aurora, I can’t just go out there whenever I want.”

 

“Blake, you make plenty of money. You can afford the gas. Call them up and hang out with them sometime. You won’t be so uptight about Will hanging out with Raul if you have friends to spend time with too.”

 

I thought for a minute about just what she was saying. She was right. I was actually jealous and needed to have a life outside of work and Will. Why was I so jealous of something that seemed so simple? So minute? Why was I so worried about something that probably wasn’t happening?

 

And then it hit me. I was in love. In love and helplessly so. The thought brought giddy smile to my face unexpectedly.

 

“What’s got you smiling to the point of being labeled a lunatic?” asked Mar.

 

“Just Will. Only Will.”

 

“Uh huh,” she said with a sly grin. “Let’s get back to the office so we can finish early and you can get home to your man.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*

Will

 

After class, I called Raul up to invite him to the house for dinner and a movie. Tonight was normally movie night but I figured Blake wouldn’t mind. Raul didn’t have work tonight so he was on board with coming over. I took a quick shower and then went down to the kitchen to start on dinner.

 

I figured a gazpacho for an appetizer, steak for a main course, and cheesecake for dessert would be an excellent menu. I gathered everything for the soup and threw it in a blender since that was all that was required. With the prepared gazpacho safely in the fridge chilling away, I pulled out the steaks to let them warm to room temperature while I prepared the cheesecake.

 

I loved cooking. I learned to cook from my mom when I was younger as well as from all the popular cooking shows. Cheesecake in the oven, I then seasoned the steaks and threw them in my cast iron skillet. I allowed myself to wonder when Blake was going to be home just as my cell phone rang. Naturally it was him.

 

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” I said smiling.

 

“Well like minds do indeed think alike. I’m on my way home now. Just got to Merchandise Mart.”

 

“Excellent. So I am cooking dinner now. Raul is coming over as well. I hope that’s okay.”

 

“Sure I don’t mind. What’s for dinner?”

 

“Gazpacho for the appetizer, steaks for dinner, and cheesecake for dessert.”

 

A low moan signaled Blake's approval of the menu. “Babe, that sounds wonderful.”

 

“Great. I know you'll love it. See you soon. Safe travels.”

 

“See you soon. Love you.”

 

“Love you too.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*

 

Sam

 

Derrick and I soon settled into this routine. We did our separate school activities. We hung out with Michelle and Claire daily. We'd go back to the dorm room and study. We'd sleep together at night. Days and weeks went by and things just settled into place. Right where they were supposed to be.

 

Our relationship grew stronger and stronger with each passing day. There were moments when I'd feel like this was all some sort of dream and that it wasn't real; that Derrick was just playing around with me. But Derrick got really good at proving me wrong. Every. Single. Night.

 

I was falling fast and hard in love with Derrick. It scared me. It made me nervous. It made me happy. It made me immune to whatever underlying issue I thought I still had with Paul. Paul would never be forgotten. But Derrick was really the right one for me it seemed. Maybe he was a gift. From where, I don't know. But he was something. Whatever it was, I loved him.

 

And he loved me.

 

“Hey! What are you doing?” he said loudly as he closed the door, startling me out of my thoughts.

 

“Oh nothing. Just thinking.”

 

“About what?” he asked inquisitively.

 

I paused a moment, perhaps for some dramatic effect before letting out a warm, heart-melting smile.

 

“You,” I replied, getting up to walk over to him as he laid his backpack down.

 

“Oh yeah?” he asked with a slight tinge of huskiness in his voice.

 

“Oh yeah,” I said, kissing him.

 

We made out for what seemed like an eternity. Gasping at the end of our session, Derrick's noticeable tent in his pants made me giggle.

 

“You want to help me with that?”

 

“I don't know. Maybe.”

 

I began caressing his smooth package over the fabric of his pants. He moaned his appreciation. I kissed the bulge and rubbed my mouth over it, sending him into overdrive, his gasps becoming more pronounced at the pleasure.

 

I went to undo the zipper and had my hand tugging at it when suddenly my phone rang, stopping me dead in my tracks.

 

“Oh fuck,” whined Derrick at the distraction.

 

I looked at him for a moment with a slight grin.

 

“Well don't stop. Ignore it,” he said desperately.

 

“That's 'Chelle's ringtone. This will have to wait,” I said seductively.

 

“You asshole,” he said playfully.

 

“You are what you eat,” I replied, getting up to answer the phone.

 

“What's up 'Chelle?”

 

“Not much, heading to the UC to get food. You and Der in?”

 

“Um, yeah. Yeah we'll \ be right down. Meet you outside New Hall in 10 minutes?”

 

“Sure see you there.”

 

I threw my phone down on the desk and leaped back over to the bed. Derrick was sitting up at this point caught by surprise.

 

“What the hell man?” he asked slightly puzzled as I began to tug at his zipper and belt.

 

“We have 10 minutes. Lay back and shut up.”

 

“Oh,” he said just as I had his pants down and began to blow him. “Oh my fucking... okay.”

 

I had Derrick moaning in pleasure and cumming within 7 minutes. Afterwards, he went to the bathroom to freshen up. I combed my hair and splashed water on my face to cool it down and hopefully remove the red tinge it now had. Another moment later we were on the elevator to meet the girls outside.

 

We got outside just as the girls strolled up to the entrance. Their beaming smiles welcomed us.

 

“Well, well, normally these days we have to come up there to get you two. This is a nice change,” said Michelle.

 

“Definitely a nice change,” said Claire.

 

“Well we do our best,” said Derrick, walking towards the street. “Y'all coming?”

 

“Yes we are,” I replied striding up to his right side, not at all aware of a look being shared between the girls behind us.

 

We got our food and sat at our usual spot in the middle. Our conversation was normal as always. Bitching about our classes. Laughing at crazy jokes and stories. It was all the same. We finished up and went out into the hallway.

 

“So, want to go to Sherlock?” asked Michelle. “I brought more candy for us.”

 

“It's a little cold out,” I said. The weather had definitely began to turn cooler as fall was beginning to transition into winter.

 

“Not a problem, we can stop at our dorm room to pick up blankets and sleeping bags,” said Michelle.

 

I looked at Derrick who nodded. “Lead the way.”

 

We got comfortable on the grassy expanse of Sherlock Park. Michelle and Claire picked up blankets for us to lay on and extra-large sleeping bags to share. Derrick and I shared one blanket and bag, and the girls shared their own. We all laid there looking up at the sky, the occasional cloud passing by. Underneath the fabric of the sleeping bags, Derrick and I found our way to each other’s hand while we smoked a cigarette in the other.

 

“Do you suppose we'll get together to do this once we leave school?” asked Claire some time later.

 

“What do you mean? Of course we'll still hang out,” said Michelle, taking a drag of her cigarette.

 

“Yeah, but, like, we'll be so busy being adults once we find jobs after school.”

 

“Oh please, none of us are going to be working right after school. Plus, these two over here quite frankly are probably going to be living together.”

 

Claire laughed. “Yeah, you're probably right.”

 

“Um excuse me?” I asked. “What is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Shut up, Sam, we know damn well y'all are doing it. It's obvious,” said Michelle. She was always pretty blunt.

 

“What?” asked Derrick, clearly grappling with the fact we'd been found out.

 

“You guys are in love with each other. We see how you look at each other whenever y'all are together,” said Claire who had now sat up and was looking right at us. And please, guys are always hungry. You wanted us to wait 10 minutes before we met up to go get dinner, sounding like you were out of breath. Ha, we knew what was up. We're not stupid.”

 

I found myself looking over at Derrick who was looking at me. He began to smile slightly, which I returned.

 

“Yeah, we do love each other,” I said serenely.

 

“Then why didn't you tell us?” asked Michelle now sitting up. “Why keep it a secret? We all know you're gay, Sam.”

 

I took a moment to ponder the question. “I guess we wanted to make sure how we felt,” I replied turning towards Derrick for validation. He got my signal and nodded lightly.

 

“Yes, that is correct,” he replied.

 

There were a couple moments of silence before Michelle spoke again.

 

“Well it's about damn time. Claire and I have been waiting for this to happen. We've had a bet going.”

 

“You owe me $10,” piped Claire.

 

“Wait, what? Y'all were betting on us getting together?” asked a stunned Derrick.

 

“Yep! We knew it would happen. We were just betting on the timing. Claire obviously won,” replied Michelle with a clever smile.

 

I began to laugh; really laugh. The girls joined in, followed soon by Derrick who at first looked like he was going to cry before he finally gave in.

 

“So what are you gonna tell your parents?” asked Claire once we settled down and laid back down.

 

“My mom won't care, she'll like Derrick” I said. “She's known I was gay since I was in 7^th grade.”

 

Derrick remained silent. I looked over at him. He had a worried expression on his face.

 

“Der, what about yours?” asked Michelle.

 

“I'm not sure what my mom would say.” he said quietly.

 

“What about your dad?”

 

Derrick went silent again for a moment before continuing.

 

“My dad is no longer in the picture. Hasn't been since I was 7.”

 

“Oh.”

 

We laid in silence for a few moments to let the sudden tension from Derrick subside. I felt bad for him. I figured it was a touchy subject for him so I'd not push it.

 

“So cigarettes aren't the only candy I have. Y'all wanna go back to our dorm and watch a movie and have a drink?” asked Michelle a moment later.

 

“A drink?” asked an interested Derrick.

 

“Yes, a drink,” replied Claire, a sly grin on her face.

 

Derrick suddenly hopped up, startling me.

 

“Fuck yeah! I'm in!” he shouted.

 

“Okay then,” said Michelle getting up. “Let's go.”

 

We picked up our things and made our way back to Michelle and Claire's dorm. We walked in and placed all the blankets in the laundry bin and sat on beanbag chairs in the middle of the room in between the beds. The room was quite spacious since it was a corner unit. It had vaulted ceilings and a dormer window that looked out over the courtyard. In a middle compartment in the room was a medium size fridge. From there, Michelle grabbed a bottle with amber liquid and a 2 liter soda. She went to a cabinet and got out plastic cups. She walked over to a small table and placed the items on it and turned to us with a mischievous grin.

 

“Come get some bourbon.”

 

We all made ourselves a drink and resumed our places in our respective beanbag chairs. Derrick took this time to move his right next to mine and bring over the sleeping bag we were in at the park and cover us up. Michelle popped in the DVD she had gotten.

 

“I got just the movie to watch. A way to sort of celebrate you two finally getting together. It's basically the gay equivalent to a chick flick but y'all will love it.

 

“What movie?” asked Derrick.

 

“Latter Days,” she responded.

 

“Oh my god, I love that movie,” I said.

 

“Then I'll love it too, I'm sure,” said Derrick. I gave him a quick peck and snuggled up to him.

 

The movie started. We drank a fair amount of alcohol while at the dorm with Michelle and Claire. After the movie, Michelle got out a board game, which we enjoyed immensely, quite possibly a result of our intoxication.

 

Derrick and I had to hold onto each other on our way back to New Hall to keep from falling. The entire time he was giggling and making silly jokes. With my level of intoxication, I couldn't help but laugh really loudly at him. We made it up to our room without incident and haphazardly removed our clothing until we were bare-butt naked. We turned out the lights and climbed into bed. We laid there together not making a sound. We were so drunk I assumed we'd both just pass out within minutes.

 

As I was getting ready to fall asleep I felt Derrick's hand begin to move down my chest and towards my dick.

 

“What are you doing, D?” I chuckled.

 

“Giving you your turn,” he said.

 

“What?” I asked half-awake but fully aware of my now raging erection.

 

And without warning I felt the sensation of Derrick's warm mouth enveloping my hard cock and moving up and down from the base to the tip.

 

“Oh,” I sighed, enjoying what he was doing to me.