Page 1 of Totally Opposed

Chapter one

Ryan

It feels a littlecreepy moving into Harrison’s old room at the place he shared with Duckie and Ian. I used to have the biggest crush on him. Crush is probably the wrong word for it. I mean, can an almost thirty-year-old have a crush? It feels like crushes are something only for young people. Well, whatever it was, it’s over now, and not just because he’s dating Gordon’s little brother, Arlo. Though seeing them so loved up together did play a small part in my discovery that what I felt for Harrison was not love. He’s hot, and he’s kind and is always having a laugh, and I guess I wanted to be close to that, maybe in hopes it would help me be a little more fun, too.

“You get three shelves in the refrigerator, half the door space and those cabinets up there,” Ian says, pointing to the topmost cupboards. The apartment is old but clean and the upper cabinets sit high on the wall and reach the ceiling.

“I’ll invest in a step stool,” I say, and Ian frowns.

“Oh shit, I guess because Harry is so tall, it never… We’ll put some of our stuff up in half of those and you can have a few lower ones, too.”

“Cheers,” I say and run back downstairs to grab another box from the U-Haul. Duckie and Ian’s place is right off Main Street, with rear parking, and just up the road from the pool I swim at every morning. This way I can get up, throw down a smoothie, and get to it. It really is the perfect place.

When Duckie put up the flier on our locker room noticeboard, I was sure it was for some duck-themed party. The fact it was in the shape of a rubber duck probably led me to that conclusion, but I’m so glad I checked it out, anyway. I ripped it from the board and called Ian right away when I saw they were looking for a new roommate. The place I was staying wasn’t terrible. The guys I shared with were cool enough, but I kind of hooked up with one of them a few months back after a drunken night of strip poker. And by hooked up with, I mean, he blew me in the shared bathroom while the other guys were passed out in their rooms. Turns out he’d never been with a guy, and even though he was the one instigating everything, he insisted I tricked him into something he would never have done sober. He can stay in his closet if that’s what he wants, no shame here. But I won’t be labeled the bad guy either.

There is no chance of a repeat of that living with these two, although I don’t know what they are into, I’m pretty sure they are not looking for a third, and even though I would never rule out anything for me normally, I have zero attraction to either of them.

I’ve also moved on from gawking and making lame puppy dog eyes at unavailable men. Instead, I gawk at the sexy available men, like Alan Beaker. Not that he’d give me the time of day. I’ve thrown him what feels like a million hints since part way through last season. I even asked him to work on somepromo ideas after practice a few times, hoping it would turn into something, let’s say…less professional. It never did. He’s either completely oblivious that I’m into him, or he isn’t into me at all. It’s probably the latter. Not once has he given me even the slightest inclination that he’s into me, too. I know I could just man up and ask him out, as I did with Harry, but look how that turned out. If I don’t ask, then I can’t be rejected and can go on wondering every time I see him if today is the day he finally notices me.

I close up the U-Haul and carry the last two boxes upstairs. As I pass through the kitchen, I spot Ian smiling oddly at me from beside the counter.

“Everything okay?” I ask slowly, heading down the hall to my room.

“Fine,” he replies, turning away quickly and opening the refrigerator. “Is that everything?”

“Yep, now I just need to set it all up. I’ll be in my room for a bit, but maybe we can have dinner later?”

He waves a hand my way. “Sounds great. Have fun.”

“I will,” I reply and carry the last of my boxes to my bedroom but pause when I push open the door. A giant inflatable duck is sitting on my twin bed wearing my robe.

“Ummm, guys…” I call, and then Duckie jumps out from behind it.

“Welcome home,” he cheers, then climbs on the duck’s back like it’s a pony. “Do you like your present?”

“Is it the duck or the image of you riding it on my bed that will forever be scorched into my brain?” I ask, dropping the box on the dresser by the door.

“Both,” Duckie smiles and teeters back and forth on the duck.

Ian comes up behind me. “You’ll get used to him, promise,” he says, patting my shoulder and moving to my side.

“Yee har,” Duckie calls, waving a hand in the air like he’s riding a bull.

“Or you won’t, but rent is cheap,” Ian laughs, and he grabs the bill of the inflatable and leans in close to Duckie.

“You gave him your gift, now let’s leave him to unpack before he decides to turn around and move right out again.”

“You wouldn’t?” Duckie asks, climbing from the bed.

I shrug, even though I have zero intentions of moving anywhere else. My last room was half this size, and I had to share a bathroom with three other guys. Here I got one all to myself. “I might,” I lie.

He pouts like a small child. “Fine, I’ll go, but I’m leaving the duck.”

“I wouldn’t let you take him if you tried. Mr Quacksalot is all mine now.”

Duckie smiles wide and links his arm with Ian. “See? Told you he’d be cool with it.”

Ian just shakes his head, and they leave, closing my bedroom door behind them.

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