Page 37 of Man On

"Uh—"

"We're just browsing," I answer for Lane, rescuing him from the moment of awkward tension.

This is dumb. I wanted to bring Lane here, show him how many campus Pride groups there were, and talk to a few fellow athletes just to show that college is a pretty open-minded place to figure your stuff out. Danny being here should be a good thing; he's one of the few people Lane really talks to on the team. But something about him rubs me the wrong way. The more he stares at Lane the more my blood pressure rises.

I clear my throat loudly and step between them to pick up a pile of random pamphlets and fliers I'd been pretending to be interested in. "Well, thanks for all the information and the great bumper sticker, Katy."

"No problem," she says kindly. "Um, here." She writes something down on the corner of a pamphlet I'm holding. "Call me if you have any questions, or decide you want to sign up."

"I'll do that," I tell her, winking before I turn back to Lane. "Do you already have Danny's number, or did you want to ask for it?" I ask, feigning innocence.

Lane turns an even deeper shade of red.

"No?"

"What is your problem?" Lane mutters under his breath.

I shrug, as if I don't know what he's annoyed about. "Do you not think Junior Pastor Ken Doll would approve?"

"Stop it, Noah."

"Are the crocs part of the uniform? You've already got the khakis?—"

"Damn it, Noah. Just stop. What is wrong with you?"

Holding my hands up in front of me in mock surrender, I take a step back, a smirk curling up one end of my lips. I shouldn't enjoy riling him up so much, and I shouldn't get comfort out of upsetting him, but it's like a default setting. I've probably accomplished the exact opposite of what I came here to do today, but having Danny here has me flustered. I don't have it in me to evaluate my reasons for disliking Danny, but I have to admit that as much as I hate watching Lane stomp away from me again, I get a little satisfaction knowing he's stomping away from the Hastings boy, too.

I start to follow Lane, but Miah and a few of the guys from our team are making their way down the aisle in the opposite direction.

"Noah! My man! You should have told me you were coming to this thing?—"

He cuts himself off when he sees the way I cut my eyes over to Lane. After aiming a pointed glare at me, he continues his war path out of the Student Union, and I don't bother trying to follow.

CHAPTER 12

LANE

"Dude, what's got his panties in a bunch this time?" I hear Miah quip as I move past them, choosing to ignore his smartass remarks.

I vaguely hear my name being called, but I need to get out of here. The blood that kept rushing to my cheeks when I was standing in front of that table is now throbbing inside my skull, making me woozy. Faces turn to look at me, a mixture of curiosity, concern, and maybe fear twisting their features. So many eyes on me. It's hard to shrink into a crowd when you're a head taller than nearly everyone in the room. People scramble out of my way as I make a beeline to the large glass doors that take up the front of the student union building.

Sensations accost me at every angle. Voices, so many voices, phones ringing, people talking, yelling, laughing, the squeak of sneakers on the polished floor. The hum of the drink machines in the lobby. The fluorescent lights are too bright, blinking and shaking the edges of my vision. Multiple screens around the room flash, cell phones light up, shadows move across the floor. It's too warm and muggy. The air conditioner can't keep up with the heat, the press of so many bodies, breathing and sweating and taking up every inch of space. The smells of the coffee cart compete with the dining hall downstairs, and the only benefit is that the competing aromas overwhelm the smell of Noah's too-strong body wash that follows me. No one is touching me, yet it feels like I'm being held down, my clothes pulled and torn at, as I fight my way through too much everything.

Finally, I push through a set of double doors and out into the campus courtyard. There aren't as many people out here, most have fled indoors as rain clouds blot out the sun. The pressure of the oncoming weather makes my ears pop and the headache that has been building all day throbs in my temples, but I breathe a sigh of relief that I'm free. I close my eyes as the first raindrops fall, a few small splashes cooling my face.

Why do I let Noah get to me like that? When it's just the two of us, he's tolerable. Why did I think it was a good idea to go anywhere with him? He still tries to get under my skin, but it feels more teasing and friendly. Not as malicious as it feels when he's purposefully trying to embarrass me in front of others.

"Lane!"

A hand on my shoulder pulls me out of my thoughts, and my eyes fly open. I spin towards the voice calling my name and come face to face with Danny.

His usually smiling face is turned down in a concerned frown.

"Lane, are you okay?"

His hand is still on my shoulder, and I stare at it, fear coursing through my veins. He notices and pulls back immediately.

"Hey, I'm sorry," he says softly, and I don't miss the hint of disappointment that tinges his words.

---