The Other Side - 1. Chapter 1

"Can you believe it? Tomorrow is it," Seth said to his two friends, as they shared drinks at XS, a local club just off the campus of the University of Wisconsin. He, Toby and Samantha were out celebrating together one last time. Tomorrow the three friends would graduate from college and move on to the real world.

"What am I going to do without you boys?" Samantha asked.

"Oh Sam, you'll do just fine. You'll be in New York for God's sake. All you'll need to do is go down to Chelsea and pick you up some new pretty boys; after all you are the ultimate fag hag."

"Seth, you know I hate that term."

"Oh yes, excuse me, the ultimate fruit fly, then," Seth said raising his glass to toast her.

"Here here," Toby added, clinking his glass to theirs.

"Besides, we'll still be friends. We'll be in touch with emails and phone calls, and I plan on spending as many weekends as I can in New York and San Francisco."

"Oh yeah, I can't wait to visit you, Toby. I’m dying to see the Golden Gate Bridge," Sam added.

The three friends had met during their sophomore year and had been pretty much inseparable since. Now they were graduating and moving on. Samantha had landed a job in advertising in New York. Toby was headed to San Francisco to work as an engineer at a major software company, and Seth was on his way to Austin to work in the marketing department of Hewlett-Packard.

Each had mixed feelings that night - excitement about what lay ahead and sorrow over what they were leaving behind.

"Do you suppose it's true?" Toby spoke up, "that your college years are the best years of your life?"

"Are you kidding? No way, Tob, we have the whole world out there. I, for one, plan to have many more great years. The world is our oyster."

"God I hope so," Sam said. "You know oysters are aphrodisiacs."

"I wouldn't know, I've never had the need for anything to get me in the mood," Seth quipped.

Toby rolled his eyes. "Why is it always about sex with you two?"

"What else would it be about?" Samantha asked. "Loosen up Tob, you could use a good lay too you know."

"Oh, I get plenty of action, I just don't feel the need to be as vocal about it."

"Speaking of action, I think I see something I might be interested in," Seth said. He rose from their table. "Be back in a few, ladies."

Toby and Samantha watched as Seth made his way across the bar over to a hot brunet boy they both recognized from a few weeks ago. Seth had been after him that night too; only the dark haired beauty had been with someone else. It seemed Seth was having better luck tonight as the two made their way to the dance floor.

Toby admired Seth's confidence, he sometimes wished he could be more like him; but then again, Seth had his demons too. Besides Toby wasn't exactly hard to look at, maybe not as beautiful as Seth, but still, he had plenty of offers just the same. It was just that Toby was more reserved, and shy; almost painfully shy. It was always easier to ride in the wake of Seth's energy and exuberance than to try to be out there himself. He wondered how it would be for him alone in San Francisco without his two friends to pull him out of his shell.

As if reading his mind, Samantha reached over and patted his arm. "You'll do fine, Toby. You'll meet lots of beautiful men and have a fabulous life out there, I just know it."

He smiled. "Thanks, Sam."

"And if you don't, you can always come to New York and live with me."

Samantha was another creature that seemed to know no fear. She was almost as much a predator as Seth and ever bit as unapologetic. She loved men and made no excuses for it. She dated a few guys, but preferred the company of her two 'gay boys' as she referred to Seth and Toby; the straight guys she dated seemed to be sex toys only.

For Toby sex was secondary, he wanted to find a soul mate. He wanted to find that one person to share his life with. All the chasing around after dick seemed rather sad and pointless to him. He had had his share of one-night stands or tricks, but usually they only left him feeling empty and sad.

Samantha and Toby continued to talk about what life would be like after tomorrow until Seth finally rejoined them, his face flushed in that after sex way that Toby always thought made him look impossibly more beautiful.

"What did I miss?" he asked, sitting down and taking a swig of his drink.

"We are just planning the fabulous new lives we are about to embark on; the men we will meet, the apartments we will rent and the clubs we will go to," Samantha said.

"I know, I can't wait," Seth answered. "It's going to be fabulous."