Chapter One

As they all stood in the lobby of the dorm , Will noticed him right away. He could only hope, the dark-haired, hot guy was not noticing him noticing him. He was talking with a group of students by the chairs and Will watched him smile, watched him laugh, noticed that he licked his lips…

"Well, we're going to go over to this party at my friend's sister's place, later," said Sierra, talking to him and Gabi and T. "I can't have guys spend the night in my room, though. Girls only. So Will and T are going to crash at Dan's dorm across the way."

"Who is Dan again?" asked Will, coming back to the conversation. Out of the corner of his eye he watched the man go to the dorm front desk and chat it up quite friendly-like with the girl behind the counter. 'Oh.' His heart felt a small, painful pinch, and Will tried to forget the last ten seconds when he had been staring at him. Okay, ten minutes. Either way.

"My boyfriend," said Sierra, the unspoken, duh. "He said it was cool, you'll meet him at the party."

"Well," said T, "Who knows, really, where we will be spending the night? I might meet someone, I might go home with some lucky blonde. Will, he might find himself a redhead." T nudged him in the ribs with his elbow and grinned expectantly.

Will laughed uncomfortably. "Okay, wh-what?"

"What? It could happen. College girls, afterall. You know."

"Will goes for brunettes, though," smiled Sierra. "Am I right?" Sierra pointedly looked at Gabi.

"Sierra, just leave it," said Gabi, quietly, shaking her head. She smiled at him , apologetically, Will thought.

Will squirmed. All his friends were looking quizzically at him, not a new occurrence when the subject of girls came up. Why was he always feeling scrutinized lately? Like they were watching his every move when it came to these sort of things? What were they looking for? What did they know?

Will just shrugged and adjusted his overnight bag on his shoulder. "Man, this is getting heavy."

"Right," Sierra said. "Well, yeah, for now, let's just dump the stuff in my room and then we'll get something to eat. I can show you guys real cafeteria food and give you a taste of college-life. You can get a preview of what to expect next year when you've left high school and your mom doesn't cook for you and you just eat tater tots and flat cheeseburgers."

"Nevermind, I'm going to commute," said Gabi.

As they moved down the hall, Will, allowed himself a brief last peek at the dark-haired guy and then shook his head to himself.

For a moment, while waiting for the elevator and lugging their stuff through the halls, Will thought about what it would be like to be away at college. Yes, he might miss the Brady Pub for it's food and he would miss his siblings, some friends and family…but more than anything, he wanted to be far away next year.

Come fall, Will was hoping to be at Northeastern, a good 6 hours away. He doubted many people from his high school would end up there, certainly no one from his group of friends were going there. And that was just the way he needed it to be. Far away, he could feel the freedom of finally being able to be himself. He wouldn't feel the pressure to be what people expected of him. He wouldn't feel constantly watched and judged.

If he was far away, he would actually be able to admit that he was gay. But not before, not while he still lived in Salem. Certainly not this weekend.

###

"Wow," said Sonny, nodding at his roommate's Linnea and Mark. "You said a gathering, I think."

"Did we? I think we said party," grinned Mark.

"There's a keg, next to our couch…"

"Yep," smiled Mark. "Which, yeah, can you help me move the couch? And this coffee table. Let's get it against the wall."

"And a keg in the kitchen," said Sonny. He sounded stern, but the smile in his eyes gave him away. Once again, he was just amused by their antics. He helped Mark push the furniture to the walls of the room.

"You have to spread out, the beer," said Linnea matter-o-factly. "Or one room gets way too crowded. How much should we charge to get in? I'll just give them each a cup at the door when they pay."

"$10?" said Mark. "That'll get them pizza, too."

"Sonny, did you stop by Haynie Hall and ask Cathy to come? And to bring her adorable, available friend, Tony for you? Hmmm?" asked Linnea, pulling out an empty shoe box for money collection, and placing it on a stool that she dragged to the front door.

"I did, actually," said Sonny. "I said, come to our house for some cards and dinner, tonight. Come for a small gathering."

Linnea smiled broadly. "You're going to love him."

Sonny shrugged. He didn't expect to love him. He was just hoping for like at this point.

And really,Sonny didn't mind the blind-date aspect of Cathy bringing someone with the intention that they might hit it off. Would he have preferred that his future boyfriend and he would just see each other across a crowded room, lock eyes, and fall instantly, madly, deeply in love, as if brought together by fate, and then they could live happily ever after? Of course. But Sonny could be practical. That wasn't in the new plan.

Sonny had been very clear with Cathy, and warned her to be very clear with Tony. What Sonny wanted now was: Casual. Fun. Nothing serious. Nothing with a label.

He had given his ex his heart to hold for over a year, and here, months later from the break-up Sonny still felt like his heart had been returned a mangled, shadow of what it once was. He swore to himself no serious relationship, no boyfriend, for at least six months. He needed to feel single and free. He needed not to get virtually trampled on again, until he was fully healed, lest there be nothing left of him to even recover.

"She said she talked to Tony then about you? About tonight and meeting you and he was all for it?"

"Yep," said Sonny. She had said Tony was all about the fun, the no strings. He knew what he was getting himself into. "Hope he like cheap beer and greasy pizza. And crowds."

"This is going to be an awesome night, " grinned Mark. "I promise."