Boy Story: The Road Taken - 60. College Wrap Up

College Wrap Up

I’m going to cover a lot of ground here as I close out the college experience. The following school year I was a Senior at university, which meant it would be my last. Meanwhile, Parker was only in his second year which would make him a Sophomore. Now that we were starting a new school year and we were pre-engaged, we decided to be a little more open and come out to our closest friends. At the inaugural floor party of the semester when most of our friends were in the same room, Parker and I dropped the dime. At first they thought we were kidding to see if we could fool them. When people think “gay,” a picture of Parker and/or me does not generally come to mind. They weren’t being insensitive, they just didn’t expect it, that’s all.

With the help of Joe, Joanne, and Marlene, we were finally able to convince everyone that it wasn’t some elaborate joke. Joe suggested we prove to everyone that it was real somehow. We thought a very long passionate kiss would do the trick, so Parker and I obliged and everyone started cheering and clapping. It was obvious from that kiss that this was no joke, and everyone in that room was quickly convinced. We did ask those assembled there to keep it between us because we weren’t eager to catch shit from the stupid redneck jocks sprinkled throughout the campus. Since none of our group was enamored with the people we were talking about, the secret was not likely to travel that far anyway.

After the initial surprise wore off, we were treated as a couple amongst our friends. When people would talk to me they would include Parker whether he was there or not. If someone needed to ask Parker something but hadn’t seen him, they would ask me to pass along the message, which I always did. After a while, it was like old hat. It was as if it had been like this always. However, we still had to be discreet in the dorm room when having sex. Sure, people were willing to accept a same-sex couple, but we were careful not to throw our sex life in anyone’s face. Then slowly but surely, we became Matt & Parker as one entity. If someone was making plans, they’d say: “You should ask Matt & Parker if they want to go.” It was very sweet from that point forward.

Now, my parents, Parker’s parents, and finally our college friends all knew that Parker and I were a couple. For the first time, it started to seem real. Perhaps the energy that we once used to hide our relationship could now be used to help advance it.

As swim season rolled around, Parker was selected as co-captain of the men’s swim team that year. He hadn’t realized it, but he was the most consistent swimmer in his Freshman year. He didn’t always come in first, but he always seemed to finish in the top four. I did notice that when swim season was underway, his previously smooth, skinny body became more cut and defined. This change was achieved without much time spent at the gym. It was acquired mainly through swimming so much. It didn’t matter to me, I liked either version. He didn’t bulk up, he just became more solid and defined. Then when swimming was in the rear view mirror, his body would return to its normal smooth, skinny self.

As usual, when swim season was in full swing, I became the sole bottom in our relationship, which was an interesting departure from the rest of the year. I must admit, bottoming to a super cut Parker was quite an adventure. I had a sore ass off and on throughout swim season. I actually had to buy one of those cushions that fits over the wooden benches in the stands for when I went to meets. The cushion had the school logo on it, so it fit in with the proceedings and no one ever questioned it. Parker was always aggressive in bed, but that was often mitigated by the fact that he was usually on the receiving end. During swim season, I was certainly taking one…two, three, four…for the team. If that comes off as complaint, it’s not. I would have gladly bottomed for Parker forever, and he was excited that I was getting so skilled at it. After swim season, we began to go back to normal with Parker bottoming more often. It was all good.

At the end of the school year, I graduated. Of course the path to my degree wasn’t without some unexpected drama. I was supposed to receive a packet with all of the graduation information and tickets and so forth. It never came to my dorm room or my parents’ house or Ginny’s house. I went to the administrative offices to inquire about it, and I was told that I needed to see the Dean of Students. I can’t even remember the Dean’s name because he was a pure ass clown. He informed me that I was not being allowed to graduate because I hadn’t fulfilled the upgraded science requirement. I now needed to have “three” science courses to graduate, which was raised from “two” while I was a student. I told him I knew about that because my advisor, Professor Johnson, made a call to the Dean’s office while I was meeting with her before my final semester. We were told that because the new requirement was added after I became a student, I was grandfathered in and the new requirement wasn’t applicable to me. My advisor was the one doing the talking on the phone, but she was told in no uncertain terms that I was grandfathered in, so I didn’t have to take an additional science course in my last semester on those grounds. I could have if I needed to, but I was told it wasn’t necessary. This was NOT my fault. The Dean said in a condescending tone, “Well, whoever told you that was wrong.”

“The person who told me that was someone in your office!” I exclaimed.

He went on to say, “It is the student’s responsibility to fulfill all academic requirements before he or she would be permitted to graduate. I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do,” the Dean was quick to inform me. “You'll have to take and pass one more science course in order to graduate.”

Well, I could feel my anger and heartbeat skyrocket, and—atypical to my usual demeanor—I lost my temper. I let out my full frustration in the Dean’s office. I was shouting that this was completely unacceptable and telling the Dean that he would be sorry and a bunch of other stuff I can’t even remember. I was fuming! I left the office to avert being arrested by campus police. I even thought about forcing them to arrest me just so I could plead my case before someone more reasonable. I went back to the dorm room and it’s a good thing Parker was not there because I was in a foul mood.

I called my parents. I had one on each phone extension back at home. I managed to calm myself down enough so I wasn’t screaming at my parents, but my voice was wavering with fury.

Then I heard my dad say to my mother, “Hun, isn’t Tom Benson still on the Board of Directors at the college?”

“I believe he is, Jim,” she replied.

“Sit tight Matthew. I’ll make some calls and let you know,” my father said before we ended the call.

I lay on my bed punching the mattress on either side of me. I was so mad and frustrated that I began to cry tears of helplessness. That’s when Parker walked in.

“Hey, Matt, you know the—uh oh, what’s wrong?”

I picked up my pillow and put it over my face and I waved Parker off. He was silent while I screamed a couple of times into the pillow. After a few minutes, I was able to compose myself. My dad being on the case and the screaming made me feel somewhat better. I pulled the pillow off of my face and I looked over at Parker. He was staring at me with a look of concern stamped on his otherwise angelic face. He was too nervous to ask.

“It’s OK, Parker. I’ve calmed down.”

“You sure?” he replied still not sure how to navigate through this.

“I’m furious…but not at you,” I stated.

He climbed onto the bed and attached himself to my side. This simple act calmed me further to near normal. This is the first time I realized I needed him. I'd never made an effort to change how I felt about him, it just happened. I guess needing someone is the next step after wanting someone…and I had arrived.

“The Dean of Students—who is a total ASS—refuses to let me graduate on a technicality. As you can see, I am furious,” I informed him.

“THAT FUCKHEAD!” he bellowed.

I started laughing and then he started laughing. It was so uncharacteristic of Parker to swear, but for him to do it so enthusiastically on my behalf was hilarious.

The phone rang. It was my father. “Matthew, you’re in luck. I spoke with Tom Benson in detail about your situation. They have a Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow night. He said he will bring up your case and see if it can be resolved. I’ll let you know, OK?”

“Yeah, that’s great! Thanks so much, Dad!” I responded full of hope.

“Don’t mention it, kiddo. You’ve worked too hard to have it messed up by some pencil pusher with half a brain. I’ll call you over the weekend.”

“OK, I’ll talk to you later then. Bye.”

I took a long exhale to release the remaining tension that had built up inside me. I looked over at Parker and said, “You are amazing. You know that?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “What did I do?”

“You don’t even realize it. That’s why you are so amazing,” I informed him.

“How about I show you how amazing I really can be?” Parker said with a devilish grin.

“Oh…and how do you intend to do that, young man?” I asked baiting him.

He climbed on top on me and lifted up my shirt. He began licking, sucking, and nibbling on my nipples. I don’t know about other guys, but when my nipples are manipulated, I feel the stimulation radiating to my nether regions. By the time Parker made his way downstairs, I was fully locked and loaded.

Once he got going, he removed my shirt. Then he started kissing my stomach right across the belt line. I grabbed his shirt and pulled it up until he removed it. Skin against skin is so much better than skin against cloth. It didn’t take long for him to discover the one landmark to my excitement. He began to squeeze and prod my sausage through my pants as he was sizing up what he was about to unleash.

“Hey Matt what have you been feeding this thing? Remember that? Ha ha ha. That was classic!” Parker barked out.

“Ha ha. Yeah. I only feed it 100% USDA Grade A rump roast.”

“It looks so huge in your pants,” he commented as he fished it out. “Oh man, it looks huge out of your pants, too!”

As usual it was his time to feast on my manhood while it was my time to fight off the urge to pop off as long as I could. It was an incredible battle of wills that would always end in a breathless climax. This time, it was his decision to suck my balls and stroke my cock simultaneously that finally got me off. The sensation grew and grew until it became too intense to hold back. The first shot cleared my body, my head, and hit the headboard. I remember Parker making a big deal of it—with a "Whoa!"—but I was mentally out of touch and in the zone. Shot #2 landed on the pillow next to my head. Shots three and four hit my jaw line and throat respectively. Shot five hit at about my sternum and then I was out of ammunition.

“Holy shit, Matt. That was awesome! I never saw anyone shoot like that before!” He sat silent for a few seconds with eyes wide and mouth open. “You came and hit the headboard! That’s messed up!”

“Well, the headboard is certainly messed up now,” I joked.

“You should leave it there as like a trophy,” Parker enthused.

“I don’t think it’s something that everyone who isn’t you or me would be interested in,” I cautioned. “Like what would I tell my mother when the bed comes home and she questions the weird stain on the headboard?”

“You’re right. She wouldn’t believe it!”

“That’s not what I meant,” I tried.

“I’d take a picture, but it wouldn’t do it justice.” He reluctantly sprang into action and cleaned up the headboard. “I’d better be careful from now on when I blow you. I wouldn’t want a concussion.”

The funniest part was the next day when I got home from classes. There was a small red, white and blue target taped to the headboard. I had a good laugh at that one.

As promised, I received a call from my father over the weekend regarding the ruling from the Board of Directors.

“Matt, you’re in luck. The board members voted unanimously to grandfather your requirements based on what you told me. There are no surprises that you haven’t told me, right?”

“No Dad, I told you exactly what happened and how it happened. Those were all the details. They can even look at Professor Johnson's notes to corroborate,” I explained.

“Great, then be prepared to go to the office to get your packet next week. The other party involved in this dispute will be notified on how to handle it. If you have any problems, call me back.”

“Sure, great! Thanks so much, Dad,” I squealed my gratitude.

Sweet! Wanting to give it a couple of days for the ruling to be disseminated, I chose to make my visit on Wednesday. I showed up at the office on Wednesday at a little before 11:00, and asked the woman at the desk for my packet. She asked me to wait a moment and she went into the back room. She returned and said, “He’ll be right with you.”

After a short wait, the Dean of Students appeared from the back walking toward me with a big white envelope in his hand. “Apparently, you have some very important friends,” he said as he pulled up to the counter. “As was decided, here is your graduation packet. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t have graduated. But I no longer have a say in this.”

The contempt I had for this man welled up inside of me until it spilled out in one radioactive wave. “Six very well-educated members of the Board that runs this university—all with Doctorate or Masters degrees—looked at all the facts and came to the same obvious decision. They voted unanimously—that’s ALL SIX of them—to permit me to graduate because the fault in this case does not lie with me, but with members of the faculty who provided me with misinformation. If you support a different position, I feel sorry for you and any students you service in the future!” I proclaimed as I snatched the packet out of his hands, turned my back, and promptly walked out.

As I exited through the main doors, I felt the pure thrill of victory as the sun hit my smiling face. I felt like the man who had been wrongly convicted of a crime and had the charges thrown out of court. After four long years, I would not be denied my degree.

The packet I received contained two tickets to the seating area at the graduation ceremony, which took place under a tent on the town common. I had to invite my parents to those seats because they had earned the right to sit there. Parker did attend as well, but he was perfectly happy to sit on the lawn with some of our friends. Of course there was a big graduation party back at my parents’ house, and Parker was invited. We were able to navigate the onslaught of aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, and neighbors by introducing Parker as my college roommate, which was 100% true. My parents didn’t coach me, but I knew if I introduced Parker as my boyfriend or pre-fiancée, it would have caused quite a stir. Neither I nor my parents wanted to create a hullabaloo at my graduation party, so we were all on the same page, including Parker.

After graduation, I worked at the country club and golf course again in the summer. The pay rate there was better than anything else I’d be able to acquire. Since I already knew many aspects of the job and I was a hard worker, they were happy to have me back. I asked Ginny if I could live with her and Parker again for the summer…and I’d be contributing to the household expenses as expected. She said that was not a problem and reiterated that I was always welcome to stay there because I was like family.

I knew Ginny would rather have me staying there than not, especially since it benefited Parker. However, I never wanted to assume anything or pawn myself off on other people. I was raised to be respectful of other people’s property and privacy. That sense of respect is possibly why I often felt post-coital guilt when Parker and I were done making love. It subsided after some time since it was not without Parker’s participation.

Oh, and one last detail about the Dean of Students, who I alluded to earlier. I won't refer to him by name, but he was later relieved of his post and his marriage. You see, he was eventually caught accepting favors in private from multiple female undergraduates over the years for services rendered. It was all over the local papers when the case was announced. After reading about it, I bought a bottle of champagne on the way home from work. Parker and I drank to his health, so he'll be able to enjoy every minute of his hefty prison sentence. What comes around, goes around.

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