by Matt Zachary
“Right back at ya,” Billy smiled and winked sexily before turning and entering his classroom.
Stuart headed off to his own class with a skip in his step. The sun was shining; the school-grounds were covered with lush green grass that was perfectly manicured...it was the perfect day. He would even get to spend the rest of the day with Billy and his friends once he made it through his Economics class.
He took a seat at a desk on the second row and began organizing his supplies so he’d be all ready to take whatever notes he would need. Just after getting his folder, paper, pens and highlighters ready, he looked up to see a sight that stole the smile from his face. It was Guy, walking in with a group of his friends. Stuart hid his face, hoping to go unnoticed.
Fortunately, for Stuart, Guy was too busy goofing around with his frat buddies to notice him. Stuart watched the clock for the next hour, barely able to pay attention to anything the professor was saying. He knew there was no way he could stay in the class. His plan was to drop the class later that day. If he could’ve just walked out of the class, he would’ve. That would’ve definitely caught Guy’s attention though.
As soon as the professor dismissed the class, Stuart had his book bag packed and was up and heading to the door. As soon as he reached it, though, he bumped right into Billy who was waiting just outside. “Hey, did you miss me?” Billy laughed, thinking Stuart was in such a hurry so he could hurry up and see him.
“Yeah, I-I f-f-forgot something I n-need for c-class in the dorm,” Stuart stumbled for an excuse to hurry and get as far away from the class as possible.
He wasn’t fast enough though. Before Billy could even answer Stuart, Guy approached. “Hey Babe, I thought that was you,” Guy said as he slid up beside Stuart and kissed his cheek.
Billy was stunned. He didn’t know what was going on. He turned to Stuart who was just stammering to say anything. Finally, he just turned to Guy instead. “Why are you kissing my boyfriend?” he asked.
“Oh, fuck. Sorry. I didn’t know he was snatched up already,” Guy replied, looking from Billy and then to Stuart.
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Guy asked Stuart, feeling the heat rising.
“I-I-I c-can ex-ex-explain,” Stuart replied, feeling panic.
“Hey, hey! I didn’t mean to get in the middle of anything,” Guy replied with his hands up before spinning around and taking off to catch up to his friends.
Once they were alone, Stuart tried to find the words to explain to Billy who Guy was. “I’m sorry!” he cried as Billy stormed off, refusing to listen to anymore.
“Where’s Billy?” Jeff asked Stuart in photography class when class begun without Billy.
Just then, Billy walked in, but sat completely on the other half of the classroom.
“My name’s Mr. Freestone, but you can call me Todd,” their teacher began, but Stuart couldn’t focus on class at all. He kept his gaze fixed on Billy in the hopes he could make eye contact. Billy never even once looked his way though.
“What was that all about?” Jeff asked Billy after class ended.
“Ask him,” Billy answered, turning away from the group and heading off on his own.
“Well?” he heard Jeff ask Stuart as he walked away.
“He found out about the night of the party,” he heard Stuart reply just as he was getting out of earshot.
Billy fumed. Not only did his boyfriend cheat on him, but one of his best friends knew the entire time and never told him. The thought of going back to his dorm and being around them sickened him, but he decided he would just keep himself locked in his room all night.
As soon as he walked in, Stuart immediately tried to get him to talk but Billy just walked past him looking straight ahead on his way to his room. “Come on!” Stuart yelled, hoping he could eventually get Billy to break down and forgive him.
Rather than listen to the continuous knocking and pleading, Billy put in his earbuds and turned the music on his phone as loud as it would go as he attempted to do his homework.
When his homework was done, Billy took the earbuds out and listened to see if Stuart was still outside his door. All was quiet, so he decided to sneak out and use the bathroom before getting to bed early.
The second he opened his door, he saw Stuart sitting in the hallway. “We need to talk,” Stuart tried once again but once again Billy ignored him and continued to the bathroom.
“Just leave me the fuck alone!” Billy finally yelled back as Stuart tried to follow him. He could see the hurt in Stuart’s eyes, but he didn’t care. He only cared about his own pain at the moment.
After using the bathroom and returning to his room, Billy once again heard a loud knock on his door. “What part of leave me alone don’t you understand...,” he began as he threw open the door ready to confront Stuart only to find Stan standing there.
“Hey, dude. Can I come in?” Stan said and Billy opened the door and let his new friend pass.
“Sorry for all the drama,” Billy apologized to Stan as he took a seat back on the bed.
“I just wanted to make sure you’re alright,” Stan said. “It’s pretty fucked up what happened. My ex-girlfriend cheated on me after our prom. It sucks. I just want you to know I’m here for you.”
Billy appreciated the concern and act of friendship. It made being in the dorm with two people who had betrayed him slightly easier. The two talked a bit longer before Billy said he was going to try to go to bed early.
“Well, just let me know if you need anything,” Stan offered before saying goodnight.
“Promise,” Billy replied, thankfully.
Chapter 9
The next day, since Stuart had an early class, Billy was able to get up and get ready without the awkwardness of having to deal with him. He did still have to deal with Jeff, though.
“You ready to go to class?” Jeff asked Billy as he grabbed an energy bar from the pantry.
“I don’t wanna go anywhere with you,” Billy answered in a stony voice.
“Why the fuck are you giving me attitude, dude? Don’t get your panties in a twist just because you had a fight with your boyfriend,” Jeff replied.
Billy put his spoon down and looked up from his bowl of cereal. “Answer me this,” he said, “Did you know about Stuart and that guy?”
“Is that what he said?” Jeff asked defensively rather than actually answering the question. “If that’s what he said, he’s a fucking liar!”
Billy shook his head as he thought about how much he thought Jeff had changed. How wrong he was. Jeff was still the same lying asshole that he always was. It was only due to his appreciation of Jeff taking him in when he was homeless that he didn’t jump out of his chair and punch his lights out.
“Yeah, whatever, dude. I heard you two talking about it,” Billy answered and then put his bowl in the sink.
“He was drunk, dude. It was nothing,” Jeff tried to explain to take the heat off of himself.
“I’m sure to you it was nothing. Maybe being faithful or honest with the people you care about means nothing to you. But, it means the world to me!” Billy shouted back. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me in the past, but as far as us still being friends, you can go fuck yourself!”
The two didn’t bother to say anything else and kept their distance during their English Composition class. As soon as Billy got to his Algebra class, he let out a sigh of relief.
“You okay, Billy?” Lily asked as soon as he sat down.
“Naw...not really,” he replied not really wanting to talk about it, but she eventually pried it out of him.
“You can crash at my place if you want. My roommate never showed up,” Lily offered.
“If you’re serious, I’m in. I can’t stay in an apartment with two fucking liars.”
Lily told him it was fine and that he could come back to her dorm right after class.
Not wanting to run into either Jeff or Stuart again, Billy called up Stan from Lily’s car and asked him if he co
uld meet him with some of his stuff.
“Sure,” Stan said. “Just tell me what you want me to grab.”
“Alright. You’ll need to come meet me and get my key. Say, 5 o’ clock at the pizza place,” Billy suggested and Stuart agreed.
Lily’s room was small and contained no bathroom, only two beds, two desks and two nightstands, but at least it was far from Stuart.
“It’s not much,” Lily said as she gave him the three second grand tour.
“I won’t stay long,” Billy promised not wanting to wear out his welcome or get her in trouble. The hall was co-ed, but each room was supposed to be just girls or just boys.
“Stay as long as you want,” she told him, but Billy knew that her roommate could show up late at any time. He planned on seeing if he could get a transfer maybe but, for the time being, he just wanted a few days to think.
At five o’ clock on the dot, Stan showed up at the pizza place. “Are you sure about this?” he asked Billy.
“I can’t be there right now,” Billy answered and Stan understood. “I’m gonna try to see if I can get moved. I really like you, I just can’t be around Stuart...or Jeff, for that matter.”
“Well, we’ll still hang out then...deal?” Stan asked. He had met a few people in his classes and on the basketball team, but Billy was still his first friend at college and he didn’t want to lose that.
Billy promised they would as he handed Stan his room key. “Just get my computer, charger cord for my phone, bathroom stuff...it’s all hanging on the back of my closet door, ummm.....my books for class and a few changes of clothes.”
“Anything specific?” Stan asked.
Billy couldn’t think of anything, but he knew he was rattling off a lot for Stan to handle. “Is this alright?” he asked, not wanting to put Stan in the middle.
“I’m your friend. I told you I’d be here for you if you needed anything. Just tell me where to take everything,” Stan replied.
Billy gave him directions to the building Lily lived in and said he would just meet Stan outside. He trusted Stan but still wasn’t that comfortable giving out the location to his new room. The last thing he wanted was Stuart showing up there and making a scene.
By the end of the night, Billy was all settled in his new dorm. It was cramped, but he still felt freer there than he had felt the night before in his own room. By the time he and Lily got ready for bed, Stuart had left his ten voicemails and had called at least twice that.
“You know you’re gonna have to face him eventually,” Lily laughed trying to lighten the moment.
“Well, it won’t be today,” Billy said as he deleted each of the emails without even listening to them. He was starting to feel bad for Stuart, but he was still too angry to talk. Maybe with time, he though, he could patch things up and at least become friends with Jeff and maybe Stuart...but he needed some time to heal first.
Chapter 10
By the next morning, Billy was still unsure of what to do. He woke up late and barely made it to his first class. As soon as class was over, though, he planned on heading to the Administration Building.
He thought about his choices as he made his way down the stairs and just as he exited to the quad, Stuart ran up to him. “Can we please talk?” Stuart asked.
Billy looked at him and could tell he had been up all night crying. Stuart’s eyes were puffy with dark circled underneath them. “I don’t want to say anything that might hurt you,” Billy replied angrily, though his hate was beginning to melt. Even in Stuart had betrayed and hurt him, he still loved the guy and didn’t like seeing him in pain.
“Hurt me! I deserve it,” Stuart begged refusing to leave Billy’s side.
“Seriously, what can you say to make this better? Nothing! You fucked another guy and you can’t ever take that back,” Billy said, trying not to make eye contact. He had to stay strong
“It won’t ever happen again....pleeeeaaassseeee!” Stuart cried. He didn’t care if he was making a spectacle of himself. He just wanted things with Billy to go back to how they were before his one very stupid mistake.
Billy sat down on a bench and rubbed his face between his hands in an effort to clear his mind. His head said he should just walk away, but his heart wanted to find a way to make up with Stuart. Every time he looked at Stuart, though, he saw him and Guy together.
“I want to understand...to forgive you. I really do,” Billy began.
“Well, then, do it. You can trust me,” Stuart cut in.
“That’s just it. I don’t. I don’t trust you,” Billy confessed as he looked up into Stuart’s eyes. Gone was the hatred he was feeling. His eyes only showed the sadness he was feeling. After a long silence, he added, “Maybe with time, we can be friends.”
“Noooo, don’t say that!” Stuart cried, starting to sound hysterical. Billy almost thought he was going to throw himself on the ground right then and there and throw a temper tantrum.
He couldn’t change how he felt though. “I’m sorry...I really am,” he offered and hugged Stuart before walking away leaving Stuart standing in the quad frozen.
As soon as Billy reached the Administration Building, though, he entered the first restroom he passed and broke down in a stall. Breaking up with Stuart was the hardest thing he had ever done and his heart was breaking into a million pieces. It had to be done though.
Billy sat there until he was able to compose himself. Once he did, he knew what he was going to do. He marched down the hall so he could get an excuse from school the following week.
After getting the clearance to go to his father’s trial, Billy called Mr. Mendalsen and asked him to book a plane ticket for him and then headed back to his photography class to let his teacher know he was going to miss three classes.
“Just get with me when you get back in town and we’ll get you all caught up,” Todd told Billy before excusing him.
“Thank you for everything. I should only be gone about a week,” Billy told Lily once he got back to her dorm to pack. “I think the time away will be good for me.”
“Well, you’re welcome to stay here when you get back if you still don’t want to stay in your dorm,” Lily offered and gave Billy a hug.
“I appreciate it. Really. You’ve been a life saver. I’m will call you,” Billy promised as he carried his stuff out.
His last stop before heading to the airport was to his old dorm. He knew everyone would still be in photography class, but only a little longer, so he hurried to grab what he needed. Before leaving, he wrote Stan a quick note explaining where he was going and shoved it under his door.
By the time he got downstairs, the cab was waiting outside and he was quickly off to the airport. Just before the cab arrived at the airport, Mr. Mendalsen called. “I’ve got you on an eight o’ clock flight with a stop in Atlanta,” he told Billy. “It’s the first thing they had available.”
Billy didn’t mind waiting around the airport a little. It gave him a chance to do some of his school work. He even had time to get a little ahead so he would be on track once he returned home from the trial.
Before he knew it, the plane was boarding and he was off. He decided to just sleep on the plane. He had so much on his mind that it seemed like the wisest option.
He didn’t make it to his hometown until three in the morning and by then he was tired. “I think there’s a reservation for me,” Billy told the hotel desk clerk once he made it to the hotel across the street from the airport.
“Yes, Mr. Markstock. It’s been pre-paid for you, but I will need to see ID,” the plump, Caucasian lady behind the counter told him.
It wasn’t the best hotel, but it had a bed and a TV, so it suited Billy just fine. After taking a quick shower and connecting his phone to his charger, Billy realized he had never turned his phone back on after the flight. When he did, it chimed immediately, letting him know he had a new voicemail.
“Hey, I just wanted to let you know once again I’m sorry and I’m here if you need anything
,” Billy heard Stuart say on the recording. He sounded so fragile and sad. Billy wanted to call him and just tell him that he would always love him. He knew that was a bad idea, though, and would only complicate matters. Fortunately, it was late so he put his phone on the night stand, turned off the light and closed his eyes, willing himself to forget Stuart for the moment and just go to sleep instead.
Chapter 11
Billy woke to a loud banging on his hotel room door. He felt like he had just fallen asleep but, as he checked the time on his phone, he saw that it was already ten thirty. The knock sounded again. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” Billy yelled as he pulled a shirt over his head and stumbled towards the door.
“You’re not up yet?” Mr. Mendalsen said to Billy as the hotel room door opened to let him in.
“Oh, hey,” Billy answered and yawned stretching his arms wide. “Come in.”
“You need to get dressed if we’re going to get you in to see your father,” Mr. Mendalsen impatiently explained.
“Wait, what?” Billy asked, finally waking up to comprehend what his dad’s lawyer was saying. “You never told me I’d be going to see my dad this morning.” Billy didn’t mind seeing his dad. He was a little apprehensive because of how his last visit went. Really his confusion was just that Mr. Mendalsen had never mentioned anything about the visit before.
“We can talk as you get some pants on!” Mr. Mendalsen pushed. “Visiting hours are from noon to one only today and we have to register by eleven thirty.”
“Okay, okay! I’ll just take a quick shower and be ready in twenty minutes,” Billy told the stressed out attorney. He could tell Mr. Mendalsen wasn’t happy hearing that he was planning on taking a shower, but nothing was said about it.
True to his word, Billy took a quick shower, just taking the time to quickly shampoo and condition his hair and lather up his body. Within eight minutes, he was turning the water off and drying himself. After taking another few minutes to get dressed, put on deodorant, and brush his teeth and hair, Billy emerged from the bathroom almost ready to go. “I just need to put my shoes on,” he explained as he sat on the bed and pulled on his socks.
