Chapter 4

• As I walked down the sidewalk to school, I couldn't stop thinking about Jake. His rude talks and annoying attitude. I should consider moving out. What's he going to do when he finally finds out I'm gay and I sort of find him attractive? He's probably gonna freak out, throw a tantrum and maybe finally ask me to leave.
• Why's he so homophobic?
• I hear the familiar ring of my ringtone as I pull my phone out of my pocket. I plug in my earphones and answer the call.
• " Hey Mom."
• " Hi honey. How's school?" She asks on the phone. I can hear her turning something and my dad's voice in the background. I imagine she's cooking breakfast.
• " School's good. How are you guys doing?"
• " We're good."
• " How's your roommate treating you Ash?" Dad asks from the background. I sigh.
• What am I supposed to tell them? That my roommate is a very attractive jock and he's an asshole. And that he's a homophobe and kinda rude. I roll my eyes at myself.
• " Is he good Ashton? Does he throw parties, bring in different kinds of women?" Mom throws questions at me.
• I don't know what to say. I've barely known Jake in a day, how am I supposed to tell if he likes to throw parties or bring in women. He definitely likes to do both.
• " I don't know. He's not bad and likes to mind his business. He hasn't brought in women yet or throw parties."
• " Is he homo?" Dad asks.
• " Jesus, dad. You can't say that."
• " Say what?" My dad's voice asks loudly on the phone.
• " He's a homophobe and doesn't like gay people."
• " Alright, that's satisfying to hear. I can tolerate anything from your roommate but not him being gay. I don't want you to go back to that path. Your bad choices should be left behind in highschool. You're in college Ashton and I want you to make good choices and associate yourself with good friends and not those weird gay kids. You should stay away from parties, especially frat…"
• " I gotta go dad, I'm running late." Before my dad can say wait or say more annoying words, I tell them bye and hang up.
• " Jesus." I mumble. Why did I have such parents?
• They're great, yes but their homophobic attitude is worse than Jakob Pierce.
• I walk inside my first class and I'm glad I'm early. The professor is yet to arrive, including some other students. I find a seat close to the front row and sit down. In order to avoid talking to people or look awkward, I tap a song on my playlist and bring out my notepad. I hum to the song as I go through my textbook.
• Someone tapped me as I looked up at once. It's a guy. The first thing I noticed is his rainbow earrings and tight shirt. I removed one earbud.
• " Is this seat taken?" He points to the seat next to mine.
• " No." I answer. He smiles and sits down.
• I plug my earbuds back and continue to hum to the song. This time I turn the volume a little just to be aware of what's going on around me.
• " I love that song." I turn to look at the guy who took the seat next to me. He's smiling at me.
• " Thanks." I tell him as I press pause on my phone to stop the music.
• " You're a fan of Lil Nas X?" He asks.
• I chuckle and nod. " Yeah. He's pretty amazing."
• " True. I'm Landon by the way." He stretches out his hand and I take it.
• " Ashton."
• " Nice to meet you, Ash. Biology major?"
• " Political science actually. Biology?" I ask him, he nods.
• Landon is good looking. And if his stereotypical looks and outfit didn't tell you he's gay, he sure doesn't look like one. He's probably out and free and I'm jealous. I wish I had the balls to scream on top of my voice and tell the whole world I'm gay and let the people who aren't comfortable with it, fall off a bridge or drink piss.
• " Is this your first time in this class?"
• " Yeah. I'm a freshman. Just resumed yesterday."
• " Ooh. How are you coping?" Brandon asks.
• " Not bad. Just my roommate is an ass and a total jerk." I say. Landon laughs.
• " I get you. Mine is a homophobe and likes to say shit about me, not like I really cared though." Landon shrugs. I notice the guys at the left side of the classroom are staring at Landon. Some give him disgusted looks while others are just staring since Landon is pretty good looking. Dark brown hair, hazel eyes, he's pretty lean too and not that tall. I'm a little taller than him. His pale skin is beautiful and I'm guessing he's one of those guys who are so obsessed with their skin.
• " I'm sorry about your roommate. Mine isn't any different." I mutter and Landon chuckles.
• The professor walks in not quite long as he starts to teach. After the lecture, I gather my stuff and ready myself to leave.
• " You heading to the cafeteria? I'm pretty hungry myself." Landon says to me as we walk down from our seats.
• " Sure." Landon and I walk out of the classroom and to the crowded hallway.
• " When's your next class?"
• " 1pm." I answer.
• " I guess we've got the same class then."
• As we head to the cafeteria, Landon and I talk about little stuff and they're pretty interesting. He asked me if I've made any friends yet and I told him no. He also told me he doesn't have a lot of friends but most of his friends are part of the LGBT community and his best friend is a lesbian.
• " So where are you from?" Landon asks as we take a seat with our food.
• " Louisiana. Grew up there in this little town. What about you?"
• " Born and raised in New York." Landon says as we start to eat.
• " What exactly are you doing here in Washington?"
• " I should ask you the same." Landon says and we laugh.
• " Well my parents moved here when I was 10. Went to high school here and they thought why not go to university here too. I'm an only child so they don't want me traveling out of the state by myself to study in some strange land." I explain. Part of it is also because they want to watch my life and my choices. God it's so sad to think about it.
• It's not like I'm complaining. I really didn't plan on leaving Washington any time soon. I never really cared for colleges as long as they give good education, then I'm okay.
• " That's crazy I guess. I'm not the only child though and I've always wanted to leave New York and move across the state. Part of this education journey is me trying to explore."
• " Seen anything fascinating yet?" I ask.
• " I guess." Landon smirks.
• " Landon, you are such a bad friend." A girl squeals as she sits next to Landon.
• She has dark brown skin. Long curls and she's beautiful.
• " I'm sorry, Nat. I thought you weren't coming to school today."
• " Why not?" This Nat girl asks. She hasn't seen me yet so I don't bother to disrupt their conversation and introduce myself.
• " You were drunk last night and you even passed out. I thought you'd been dealing with a hangover this morning."
• Nat snorts and rolls her eyes. She finally turned to look at me. I smile politely. She slowly turns to look at Landon as she tilts her head at me. Like she's asking Landon something. Landon rolls his eyes and smiles.
• " No, you slut. We're not dating. We met in our first class together. Plus he's straight." Landon says to Nat.
• " No, I'm not… I'm not really straight." I mutter and bite my bottom lip. Landon stares at me with wide eyes. Great I just come out to a total stranger who's gay that I'm gay too.
• Wow it feels good saying that to someone for the first time.
• " You're not?" Landon asks.
• " Yeah." I mumble and Landon smiles.
• " I'm Natalie by the way. But call me Nat. This nut job here is my best friend." Nat says and I smile at her.
• " I'm Ashton."
• " Nice name for a good looking guy." Nat says.
• " Thanks."
• Landon still looks like he's got a stroke as he smirks at me. I chuckle slightly.
• " You still looked shocked?" I ask Landon.
• " Maybe. I guess now I'm allowed to say you're pretty good looking yourself."
• I blush and look around the cafeteria. I look back at Landon.
• " Thank you, Landon."
• " So Ashton, you're a freshman?" Nat asks.
• " Yeah." I say and take a sip from my bottle of water.
• " And a biology nerd too?" Nat smirks at me as I chuckle. Including Landon.
• " Not really. Political science major actually." I answer. Nat nods with a smile.
• " Oh here come these assholes." Landon mutters at once. Nat and I turn to look at what got Landon's attention.
• Oh great. Jakob Pierce just made an appearance. With his two jock buddies. A blonde haired girl is with them, not the redhead this time. They sit down on a chair not quite far from us. The blond haired sits next to Jake as she rests her head on Jake's shoulder. She's probably trying to tell everyone Jake is hers. So freaking childish.
• I look away from them and turn to look at Landon and Nat. Landon doesn't look okay.
• " Are you okay?"
• " Nope." Landon says and takes a gulp from his bottle of water.
• " Is it because of Jakob Pierce?" I ask.
• " You know Jakob Pierce?" Nat asks. Landon stares.
• I sigh. " He's my roommate."
• " No shit." Landon and Nat say. I nod in confirmation.
• " How? Is he the roommate you were talking about?"
• " Yeah. He's a homophobe and pretty rude too." And good looking.
• Nat turns to look at Landon. " Yeah he's a jerk though." Nat says and eats from Landon's chips.
• Something's wrong. Landon looks unsettled. Like he's afraid of Jake.
• " Does he bully you? I mean verbally or maybe physically." I ask Landon. He sighs and picks on his food. " Or did you two date?" I ask and cross my arms, staring at Landon intently.
• He snorts and chuckles, including Nat.
• " Oh please." Nat rolls her eyes.
• " You and I know very well Jake is straight. Plus if he would like to fuck guys it definitely can't be me. He's just a bully, verbally actually. And for some reason he just likes to pick on me and throw it at my face that I'm a fag. He's such an asshole."
• " And for a guy who's that good looking and the Chancellor's son, he's really a bag of shit."
• " Jake is the Chancellor's son?"
• " You don't know that?" They ask. How the hell am I supposed to know that?
• I shrug and shake my head.
• " Well, Ashton, my friend, your roommate Jakob is the Chancellor's son. Only son."
• " Wait, how did you two end up as roommates? Jake lives off campus right?" Nat asks as she continues to eat from Landon's chips.
• " Yeah. My parents wanted me to live off campus just so they could keep an eye on me."
• " They're not homophobes, are they?" Landon asks.
• " They're. They believe gay people are the reason behind hurricanes." I tell them and take a bite from my bagel.
• " No shit."
• " Yup. And if they find out Jake throws parties and also smokes, they won't waste time moving me out of the apartment. They're sort of religious."
• " Damn. Now I'm wondering what their faces will look like when you finally come out to them." Landon says. " My parents didn't care much as long as I'm happy."
• " Well mine, my dad hates it." Nat begins. " My mom is cool with it but my dad, well my dad is just my dad."
• " Damn." I mutter and sigh.
• I look at Jakob and his friends and I notice his other friend, the one I haven't known his name yet staring at me. His stares aren't as dark as Jakob and he's hot himself. I look away and bite my bottom lip. Landon and Nat stare at me with questioning eyes.
• " So you have a crush on Brad or Jakob?" Nat asks. I nearly choke on my spit as she smirks. Landon chuckles.
• God Nat is crazy.
• " I don't have a crush on Jake. And who the hell is Brad?"
• Nat tilts her head to Jakob and his friends.
• " Carter, Jakob and Brad. Hot assholes. And the blonde that's next to Jakob thinking she has made it in life is one of Jakob's slut. Just another of his lucky wins. And they're also soccer players, well except Carter, he plays basketball. Reasons why girls would do anything to fuck them. It's disgusting." Nat says.
• " And a little advice Ash, Jake isn't the guy you should fall for. You're smart enough to know that."
• " I don't have a crush on Jakob. Jesus." I groan and sink into my seat.
• " You should have fooled me twice, Ash. You should see the way you were checking him out." Nat says and slightly punches me in the arm.
• " Ouch." I laugh. " Seriously, I'm not interested in my roommate. He's an asshole and he's straight."
• " If you say so. Don't come running to me for relationship advice concerning Jake. I won't be around." Nat smirks.
• I groan again. I just wish this cafeteria could swallow me right now.
• " Hey Ashton." A familiar voice calls my name.
• I turn to look at Lana as she approaches our table. She sits next to me.
• " Hey guys. Hi Ash."
• " Hey Lana." I smile at her.
• " You're still on for that party I told you about? It's this weekend and it'll be fun, I promise."
• " Um… I don't know. I'll think about it?" I shrug.
• " You should have my number, so that I can text you all the details. Just give me yours." She gives me her phone and I tap in my phone number and hand it over to her.
• " Alrighty. You should really consider going to this party." Lana stands up. " You won't regret it." She smiles at me and waves at Landon and Nat.
• Nat stares at Lana as Lana walks away. I clear my throat and Nat looks at me. I raise my brows, giving her a questioning look.
• " What?" Nat chuckles. " She's hot as fuck." Nat mutters.
• " And she's straight as a pole." I say. Landon chuckles.
• " Fuck." Nat groans.
• ***
• After my dinner with Landon and Nat, Landon and I attended our second class while Nat attended hers. Later, we exchanged numbers and I left for my apartment. Jake isn't here. Probably out with his friends.
• I go to my room and take a bath as I change my clothes. First two days of school and we're already giving school work. I rub my temples as I try to work on my paper. My phone rings and it's my parents. I ignore them. I'm not in the mood for their talks right now.
• It's nearly evening and I'm done with my school work. I sit on my bed and browse through my favorite series on Netflix since I have nothing important to do. The living room door opens and I hear footsteps. It should be Jake. The door closes and I hear his approaching footsteps.
• Someone knocks on my room door and I know it's Jake. I click pause on my series and drop my laptop on my bed as I get out of bed. He knocks again. I groan and open the door. Jake stands at the other side of the door with his signature dark and brooding stare.
• Does he ever smile? Well I think he does. I've seen him laugh twice when he was with his friend.
• " Hey, man. Do you need something?" I ask Jakob.
• He glares at me and rolls his eyes. " I'm throwing a party tonight, do me a favor and stay in your room."
• Unbelievable.
• I lean against my door and stare at this man. Who does he even think he is?
• " I ain't fucking joking. Don't try to ruin my party by crashing it. Stay the fuck in your room." He says and turns around to walk inside his room.
• I stare at him in disbelief as he shuts his room door.