Page 3 of Scandal

Sigh.So much for a magical meet cute in which me and my new roommate fall in love. Junior year is not starting off the way I’ve expected. Not one bit.

Xander Briggs and I may have only spent a few minutes in each other’s presence, but I’m a good read on people, and I can already gather one thing about him. He isseriouslyemotionally unavailable. I’ll try not to have an instant crush on that fact.

If I had to bet, he’s straight. Something about that single duffel bag, not making the bed up with any sheets thing tipped me off. Not that gay men can’t have no sense of style or be minimalists. I’m just saying, it’s a vibe I’m getting based on his appearance, which wow, makes me kind of a shit for assuming. I’ll have to keep asking. How he managed to dodge my question... not that I asked outright. I’ll have to try again later.

It does seem weird that Zack of all people is giving me these weird glances as he shows me around campus. I think they might equate to a bi-curious stare. Or he's just flirting because of who my dad is.

“This campus is quite pretty,” I hear Zack say as we walk along the sidewalk. My attention focuses back to my surroundings. There are lots of mature trees, all full of swaying leaves. They won’t last long. Not in northern Michigan. My dad promised the climate here is similar to Indiana, but I don’t see how, not when we’re seven hours north. Seven hours colder. What the heck is that going to be like?

“What do you like to eat?” Zack asks in a loud voice, a mild tone of irritation. I realize he may have asked me more than once. Whoops. Was I tuning him out as he explained things about Whitmore? Maybe. He drones on in this self-important way that kind of already drives me crazy.

“Uh, anything. I’m flexible when it comes to food.”

Zack nods and continues on his one-man tour of the small town that surrounds the campus. “You’ll want to avoid The Box because that place will give you food poisoning, but The Fishbowl has decent stuff. Oh, and that building is where you’ll have all your computer science classes. What else am I missing?” he asks himself as I saunter slightly behind him, taking in the scenery, which at the current moment is his butt. It’s decent. Nothing to write home about.

Since coming out Freshman year, I really thought that I’d spend Friday nights dancing up against hard bodies covered in glitter under neon lights, but I was so wrong. My last school, Susman College, was in a small ignorant town that I lived in for the past eight years.

But when I came out, things got progressively dangerous. After two years of cold glances at best, and outright threats at worst, Dad started finding a more accepting school. Whitmore fit the bill, priding itself on being alternative and open to the elite of society’s outcasts. As soon as Dad signed the contract for the presidency of Whitmore, I filled out my transfer paperwork and booked a spot in the dorms. Did I mention I’m the president’s son? That’s why a star jock like Zack is bothering to show me around.

Anyway, I just know this year is going to be loads better. So long as too many people don’t find out that my dad runs the school, because in my experience, that hasn’t been a good thing. People are weird about it. If anything, at Susman, that made me even more of a target than being gay.

“Can we grab something to eat now, actually? I’m pretty hungry.”

“Oh, shit, my bad,” Zack quickly apologies. This is another reason why I prefer that people don’t know who my dad is, because they treat me weird when they know.

“Don’t sweat it, and hey, uh, can I ask you a quick favor?” I stare down at the tightly packed brick pavers beneath my bright-blue sneakers before stealing a glance at the imposing physique next to me.

Zack bites his lip and smiles. There it is again... I may still be a baby gay, but I’m pretty sure that’s a flirty look. Or maybe he’s just being friendly. He is doing my dad a favor by showing me around campus. Couldn’t say. I still haven’t quite figured out flirting. “Sure, what do you need?”

“Can you not tell anyone about my dad? It’s just… people get weird about it, in my experience, so I’d rather it not be awhole thing.” I can’t help the jazz hands I wave at the end of that statement. I held them in for far too long to not wave them now.

“No problem. I’m really good at keeping secrets.” Zack practically purrs that last word as he drops his voice low. I’m either crazy, or he is actually factually hitting on me. But he said he has a girlfriend, so I’m starting to question whether Zack is a good guy or not. Or maybe I am really this shitty at picking up on cues. I swear I am usually great at reading people, unless it’s romantically. Romance is a deep mystery to me.

“Oh, and something you should know, which is definitely not a secret around here…” Zack starts, and my interest is immediately piqued.

“What’s that?” I ask in his pause.

“About your roommate,” he leads in slowly.

“What about him?”

Zack looks around us, as if checking for a clear coast, then he pulls me off the sidewalk, into a little alcove, where we stand pressed close to each other. His voice drops to a whisper. “Be careful around him.”

“Why?” I ask quickly, needing more than a vague warning. “Careful of what?”

“He uses people, to get what he wants. He finds out what they want and exploits that for his own gain. He doesn’t care about anyone. He’s a total sociopath.”

The words would have more meaning, if it wasn’t for the fact that Zack is pressed so closely up against me, that I can feel him on my thigh. You know, feelhim.Okay then.

For the moment, I am not sure if I believe Zack’s warning. He’s the one who seems to be the wolf in sheep’s clothing. He’s setting my creeper alert off.

“Thanks for the warning,” I say dismissively as I quickly step back out into the sunlight.

A few awkward minutes later, we enter the noisy dining hall. “Thanks for showing me around, by the way. I know my dad can be pushy sometimes. He thinks having a star on campus befriend me will somehow make me cooler.”

Zack passes me a tray. “I volunteered for it. But you’re right, he did ask some of the senior team members if we were up for the tour. Your dad seems like a guy who really cares.” I can practically hear the sucking up, backpedaling tone he is pulling on me. Making up for pressing his semi into me, I presume.

Not to mention, I can never be sure if someone like Zack is genuine because I’m not ignorant of the needs of a football team. Dad sets the school’s budget now, and the football team relies on a big generous budget. So, the schmoozing is starting already.

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