Can't Fight These Feelings
A/N: This was originally conceptualized as a one shot, but it significantly lengthened into a full-size, multi-chapter story. It will cover a long span of time, but I'll try to keep the pacing brisk without leaving out any key points.
Chapter 1 – First Impressions
~1999~
Four-year-old Nick Duval sat cuddled in his dad's lap, his head resting against the man's shoulder as the credits rolled on a movie the family had just finished watching. Nick couldn't remember the name of the movie, but it was animated and it had featured a bunch of really cool dinosaurs.
"You want to watch Will & Grace?" Nick's mom, Sandra, inquired addressing Nick's dad. As she did so, she gently readjusted Nick's three-year-old sister, Maggie, who was napping in her lap. About fifteen minutes into the movie Nick had turned to see his sister's reaction to one of the scenes on screen and found her asleep. Nick had wanted to wake Maggie up so she wouldn't miss the movie, but his mom had shushed him and insisted he leave her alone.
"Sure, I could go for something with some live, human actors," Nick's dad, Ian, answered with a laugh as he reached around Nick to grab the remote control from the nearby table.
"I don't wanna watch that!" Nick whined, turning a pair of big, pleading brown eyes on his mom.
"Why not, baby?" Sandra asked. "It's funny."
"I don't get any of the jokes."
"Well that's okay, honey. They'll be funny when you're older," Nick's mom responded.
"I prolly won't 'member them anymore then," Nick remarked, as he folded his small arms and pouted. "And why does those mens spend so much time with those ladies if they isn't they wives?"
"Those guys are gay, buddy. That means that they don't want wives. They want husbands," Ian answered as he tilted Nick further back to look at him while he spoke.
"Well then they oughta just marry each other," Nick pointed out.
"But then the show would end," his mom answered.
"That's okay!" Nick told her, grinning. "Then we can watch more dinosaur movies. 'sides, Steven Harris says his mommy and daddy told him it was bad for boys to like each other like that."
"Well Steven Harris' family believes something different, buddy. But that's not true and I don't want you to think that, okay?" Ian stated as he traded glances with Nick's mom.
"Okay daddy, but who's right? You and mommy or Steven's mommy and daddy?"
"Umm," Ian faltered.
"We're right, dear, but people get upset when you tell them they're wrong, so we want you to be polite okay?" Sandra answered.
"Okay mommy...but what do I do if a boy ever likes me like that?" Nick asked.
"Well it depends on if you like him back or not," Ian answered. "If you do, then that's great and he can be your boyfriend. If not, then you should be really nice about it, but tell him you don't feel that way about him."
"Okay, I guess I can do that...Can I go my room now and watch SpongeBob 'cause I don't like this show?" Nick asked.
"Sure honey, that's fine," his mom answered, smiling at him.
"Can I have some cookies too?" Nick asked sweetly, knowing it was probably out of the question since he had already gotten to eat cookies for his afternoon snack.
"No, but you can have an apple," his dad answered.
"Aww shucks!" Nick exclaimed, dramatically making a sideways fist motion in disappointment and enjoying the way his parents giggled at his antics. He hopped off his dad's lap and left the room.
-000-
~August, 2009~
"Nick, don't pick that up by yourself!"
Nick rolled his eyes and glanced at his mom. She was hurrying toward him from the back of the SUV, where she had been unloading some of his suitcases, to the left-rear door where he was pulling out a large box of books. "Mom, I got it."
"No, you're going to hurt yourself, baby," Sandra insisted as she squeezed in next to him and grabbed one side of the box herself, trying to shoo his hands away. "We'll carry it together."
"Mom, I am not walking into a brand new school with my mother helping me carry a box," Nick insisted, mortified by the idea and trying to yank the box away from her. He was fourteen for goodness sake, not seven. When he had packed the night before it had made sense to get as many things as he could into as few boxes as possible. After all fewer boxes meant fewer trips back and forth, but logic aside, he did have to admit it wasn't going to be pleasant toting the heavy behemoth of books up to his new, third-story dorm room.
"Maggie, come and help your brother with this box," Sandra shouted to Nick's thirteen-year-old sister who had already picked up a couple of suitcases.
"You have gotta be kidding me," Nick said in unison with Maggie. He rolled his eyes and smirked at her, getting an amused shrug back in response.
"What? You said you wouldn't let me help you," Sandra said innocently.
"Oh yeah, but it'll look so much cooler carrying it with my little sister," Nick responded sarcastically, knowing his mother probably hadn't really intended to make Maggie carry half the box. He suspected that she still fully intended to do it herself though, so he tried to appeal to reason. "Besides lifting it with two people will just be harder, more...laborsome."
"That's not a word, Nickface," Maggie cut in, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at him. "You mean 'laborious' or 'cumbersome.'"
"Yeah, those," Nick agreed, nodding at his mom and once again trying to tug the box away.
"Nicholas James Duval, you are not starting classes at Dalton Academy with a hernia. So just-"
"Dad!" Maggie squealed.
Nick grinned and looked up in time to see his dad's car pulling into an open spot a few spaces down. His sister took off at a run so that she could hug the man as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle, but Nick instead hung back with his mom, carefully watching for her reaction. She caught his eye and gave him a smile, nodding toward his dad in silent encouragement to go ahead. With his guilt alleviated, Nick jogged over to join his sister in welcoming their dad.
"Come here, buddy!" Ian urged as soon as he'd finished embracing Maggie.
"Hey dad," Nick said casually, still not wanting to seem too excited to see the man in front of his mom. His parents' divorce had been finalized only two months earlier and it was still a period of adjustment for the fractured family. Nevertheless, inside Nick was thrilled to see his dad and hugged him tightly, only slightly worried about the possibility of being seen doing so by his new schoolmates.
"I'm so proud of you, Nick," Ian said as he released him, but kept one arm around his shoulders as they walked back toward the SUV. Nick felt a small glow in his chest at the praise, glad that he had pleased his dad. Ian continued, "But you're sure this is what you want for yourself right? I don't want you to feel like you have to come here just because I'm an alumni."
"It's 'alumnus' since you're just one person, dad," Maggie interjected, obviously pleased with herself for knowing the distinction.
"Thanks, honey," Ian answered, wrapping his other arm around the girl.
Nick rolled his eyes, annoyed by the pedantic streak his sister had developed in recent months. Maggie had begun to retreat into her books and schoolwork around the time their parents' marital problems had begun, but despite this observation, Nick didn't know what to do to actually help her. As he reflected on it more he decided that perhaps she didn't even necessarily need help. Nick himself had turned to music to deal with his feelings. At first he had just listened to various bands and explored different genres, but recently he had also begun singing more and more and was even trying to learn the guitar. With his own new hobby in mind, Nick reasoned that maybe reading was an okay outlet for his sister after all. He turned his attention back to his dad and remembered that he'd been asked a question.
"Yeah, I'm sure, dad. Dalton has a great glee club that I really wanna check out, plus it's just a good school in general."
Ian nodded and squeezed Nick's shoulder, seeming appeased by the response as they approached Nick's mom.
"Hi Sandy," Ian said softly. Nick watched as his dad let go of him and Maggie and awkwardly stepped forward to hug their mother.
"Hi Ian," Sandra replied as she returned the embrace and added a quick peck on his cheek. Nick wasn't sure how much of this display was for his and Maggie's benefit or how much they might actually have been pleased to see each other. Nick was well aware of the fact that his parents were going out of their way to get along in front of him and his sister. At first this charade had only made Nick angry because it felt like they were lying to him, pretending everything was okay when it wasn't. However, as time went on and he would occasionally overhear them arguing from another room, or bickering on the phone, he realized that was even more confusing and upsetting. It always made him feel like he had to figure out who was in the wrong. Then being angry at one of his parents would just make Nick feel guilty, confused, and angry all over again. Eventually he decided that, even though it might be selfish, he was okay with his mom and dad only fighting behind his and Maggie's backs. At least that way he didn't feel like he had to pick a side.
After they had gotten everything squared away regarding who would be carrying what to the dorm room – Nick agreed to compromise with his dad, each carrying the heaviest box for only half the distance – they set about actually moving Nick in. With four people helping, and the fairly minimal amount of things Nick had brought to begin with, it didn't take long. It even turned out that there was an elevator. Before he knew it Nick was standing in his new room saying goodbye to his family.
"Bye baby, I love you. Call me anytime, day or night, if you need anything," Sandra said as she squeezed him tightly.
"I will mom. I love you too." Nick answered as he hugged her back. He had noticed the slight trembling in her voice and knew that she was close to tears. Somehow that realization made his own chest start aching as the fact that he would actually be living somewhere without either of his parents nearby truly began to set in. It had been weird enough when he had spent weekends at his dad's new house, but at least then the man himself was familiar and comfortable to Nick. Sleeping somewhere new all alone was going to be quite strange indeed.
Nick reconsidered that assessment as he looked at the other, still-unoccupied, half of the room. He wouldn't be alone after all: he would have a roommate. That was both exciting and nerve-racking. Nick was outgoing and liked meeting new people, but what if he and his new roomie didn't have anything in common? What if the guy was just a big jerk? In addition to possible personality conflicts, Nick was also worried about privacy concerns. He wasn't really all that worried about changing in front of another guy, even though it was something he had never actually done before. Nick wasn't shy about his body and he figured that though he was short for his age, he was mostly developing normally. No, what really worried him was how he was going to get enough alone time to take care of a certain 'need' that had been getting stronger and been requiring more frequent attention in recent months.
"Bye Nickface," Maggie said, snapping him from his thoughts as she too embraced him.
"Goodbye Margaret," Nick responded, knowing that it annoyed her when people called her by her full first name.
"Nickkkk," Maggie whined, pulling back and pouting at him.
"I'll text you later," he said, getting a smile out of her. It bothered him slightly that their parents had gotten her a cell phone a few weeks earlier even though she was only thirteen when he himself hadn't gotten one until a few months prior on his fourteenth birthday. However, he couldn't find it in his heart to complain since he knew how happy it had made her and also because he suspected that the gifts were a way for their parents to assuage their guilt. He had also gotten quite a bit of new stuff since they had announced their divorce, including the new guitar he was working on learning.
"Bye son, call me anytime too, okay? I love you," Ian said as he wrapped his arms around Nick and then ruffled his hair as he released him.
"Bye dad, I love you. Will do," Nick answered, as he shook his long, dark bangs back into place.
"I love you too, Maggie," Nick added as he let go of his dad and it occurred to him that his sister might feel left out since she was the only one he hadn't said it to.
"You too, Nickface," Maggie answered as she took their dad's hand and started yanking him toward the door. "Come on, dad, let's go get my stuff out of mom's car so we can leave."
Nick looked at his mom with concern. He had known all along that the plan was for Maggie to go home with their dad since it was his weekend to have her, but it had just occurred to Nick that this would be the first time since the divorce that his mother hadn't had either of her kids staying with her.
"I'm fine, baby," Sandra said with a smile as she leaned in to kiss Nick's cheek. "You just deal with getting settled in here, and don't worry about me."
It made Nick feel better when he noticed the guilty look his dad gave his mom. 'Call her tonight,' Nick mouthed discretely to his sister when his parents weren't looking. She nodded.
After his family had left Nick spent some time getting his things situated. Once he was done he decided to go through his iTunes library and see if he could select a song to audition with on Monday afternoon for Dalton's glee club. In truth he had already 'selected' more than a dozen songs over the last several weeks, but he kept second guessing his decisions and changing his mind. He knew that the 'Warblers,' as the school called the group, were a pretty big deal on campus and that he would need to pull out all the stops if he wanted to make the cut. He cursed his fledgling guitar talent for being inadequate to allow him to accompany himself, which he felt would have been much more impressive. As he was scanning his tracklist for the tenth time he heard the sound of a key clinking into the room's now-locked door.
"-no need to bring your winter clothes," a man's voice was saying as the door swung open. "They're just a waste of space."
"I like to have all my stuff, dad," a tall, blond teenager about Nick's age insisted as he walked into the room, his arms loaded with clothes. He smiled nervously when he saw Nick. Behind him entered the man who had been complaining about the boy's winter wardrobe. He looked like an older, heavier, balding version of his son, but in place of the anxious expression the young blond wore, he had a confident, mildly bored look. Trailing in last was a classically pretty woman, whom Nick couldn't help but look twice at despite her age. Like the boy, both adults were laden with piles of clothing.
"Hey," Nick said with a friendly grin and a small wave as he slid off his bed and stood up, eager to make a good impression. He stuck out his hand and addressed the blond. "I'm Nick Duval."
"Jeff Sterling," the blond answered quietly as he fumbled to hold his load with one arm so that he could take Nick's hand and give it a light squeeze. Nick noticed a small blush coloring Jeff's cheeks and chalked it up to shyness or perhaps awkwardness over the mound of garments he was still carrying.
"Mark Sterling, and this is my wife, Susan," the man said as he stepped around Jeff, deposited his own bundle on the unoccupied bed, and then extended his hand for Nick to shake.
"It's good to meet you," Nick said, still smiling as he made the acquaintance of each of the Sterling adults in turn. Once the general pleasantries were over Nick spoke again. "You need any help bringing stuff up, Jeff?"
Jeff nodded, not making eye contact with Nick. Instead his father spoke. "Thank you, Nick, that would be greatly appreciated. I'm afraid Jeff here doesn't know how to pack light. He brought everything but his baby blanket."
Another blush colored Jeff's cheeks and Nick couldn't help but notice that the comment had come off as rather critical as opposed to playfully teasing the way he would have expected.
"Well heck," Nick answered, mindful of his language in front of the adults. "I bet it gets chilly around here at night. Maybe he should have brought that too."
Jeff glanced up and smiled slightly in response, and for the first time Nick got a long enough look at his eyes to notice that they were brown.
"Well let's not stand around. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can be on our way," Mark declared
Nick followed the Sterling males out of the room while Mrs. Sterling remained behind to hang up Jeff's clothes.
"Honestly, how one teenage guy can have so many clothes is beyond me," Jeff's father complained as they walked down the hallway. "I doubt if your mother will be able to find room for them. We'll probably have to take the damn things back with us."
Nick stole a sideways glance at Jeff to see how he was reacting. The blond was looking at the floor as he walked, his long bangs covered much of his face, but Nick could tell by his body language that he was uncomfortable.
"If you need extra closet space, Jeff, you can hang some stuff in my closet," Nick offered, clapping his new roommate on the shoulder. "I had some room left over."
"As well you should, son. Most normal guys would," Mark turned and glared at Jeff. "Hear that, Jeff? Nick had plenty of space leftover. I hope you think about the fact that you're only just moving in and already inconveniencing your roommate by taking up space in his closet with your clutter."
"I don't mind," Nick insisted, patting Jeff's back and wishing he could figure out a way to just make Mr. Sterling shut up.
When they reached the parking lot Nick discovered that they had needed to take two cars to accommodate all of Jeff's things, a fact which Mark Sterling was quick to complain about. As Nick walked with Jeff back into the residence hall, he attempted to engage him in conversation.
"So, you from Westerville originally, Jeff?" Nick inquired as he leaned the box he was carrying against his hip so that he could open the door for them.
Jeff opened his mouth to answer, but before he got the chance his father walked past them and through the door Nick was bracing. "Nope, we're from the 'burbs around Cincinnati."
Jeff nodded and sighed quietly before following his father through the door. "Thanks," he mumbled at Nick as he walked past.
By the time they had finished unloading all of Jeff's things, Nick was frustrated and worn out. In addition to being tired from the work he had been doing, he still hadn't actually gotten much of a chance to get to know Jeff, which had been one of his main goals in the first place. Every time Nick tried to ask Jeff a question, his father would answer for him and then hijack the conversation. By the time the cars had been emptied, Nick knew quite a bit more about Mr. Sterling than he did about his new roommate. He had also only managed to learn that Jeff's mother's name was Susan and that she was a dental hygienist. He had tried to ask her what all she did on a typical day, but instead he had somehow ended up getting to hear a drawn out version of Mr. Sterling's philosophy on proper gum care. Of course Nick should have realized that as a business executive, Mr. Sterling was much better qualified to wax poetic about periodontics than his poor, ignorant wife who merely worked in the dental industry.
"Bye Jeff," Mr. Sterling said simply as they dropped off the last of Jeff's things. The man had managed to time things so that he had just long enough to finish regaling Nick with a story about his new desk chair at work.
"Bye son," Mrs. Sterling said, speaking for what must have been only the second or third time all afternoon, as she gave Jeff a hug and kissed his cheek.
"Don't embarrass the boy in front of his friend, Susan," Mr. Sterling chided as he waited impatiently by the door. "Come on, you'll see him soon enough. Honestly you'd think he was going off to war with all the fuss you're making."
Nick couldn't help but snicker slightly at the relieved look that crossed Jeff's face once his parents had left the room.
"You need help unpacking?" Nick asked, still smiling. As he looked around at the many boxes, bags, and suitcases, littering the room, he wondered if perhaps he should have simply posed his question as a statement instead.
"It's okay," Jeff answered quietly, avoiding eye contact with Nick as he searched for something in one of his suitcases.
"It's okay you want me to help or it's okay stay out of your stuff?" Nick asked for clarification, throwing in a chuckle at the end to indicate he wouldn't mind either way.
"It's u-up to you," Jeff answered, struggling to get the words out. Nick found himself wondering just how often Jeff did get a chance to speak for himself. His father was certainly a loudmouth, but surely Jeff was used to talking to people at school and in other social settings, even if he didn't get the opportunity at home.
"I'll help," Nick stated, giving Jeff another smile that went unnoticed thanks to his downcast eyes. Nick thought of a way to make Jeff look at him. "You want me to start with this box or that one," Nick asked, pointing but otherwise making no indication of which ones he meant.
To his dismay Jeff still didn't raise his eyes. Instead he just shrugged and mumbled something nearly inaudible that sounded like, "whichever."
"Eugh! This won't work," Nick exclaimed in a loud, frustrated voice as he threw himself down on his own bed.
Jeff's head snapped up, surprise and distress written all over his face. "I'm s-sorry. P-Please, don't change rooms."
Nick's expression softened and he found himself feeling guilty for his outburst. "I don't wanna change rooms. I just meant this shy business won't work. Come on, man, we live together now. We gotta be able to talk to each other."
Jeff nodded but dropped his eyes back down to his lap again. "Okay...I guess I c-could use h-help unpacking." Nick watched as Jeff set his face in determination and forced himself to raise his head again and make eye contact. "That box, please," Jeff said in a tone much too serious for the circumstances as he pointed to a box near Nick's feet.
Nick wanted to laugh, but forced himself not to, so that he wouldn't embarrass his roommate or squelch the small amount of progress he had made.
"Sure thing," Nick responded, as he got up from his bed and hunched over the requested box.
While they unpacked Nick continued trying to draw Jeff into a conversation. At first all he got were quiet, one-word answers, but eventually he managed to get the blond to open up enough to discuss some of his interests. That was when Jeff shyly admitted that he planned to audition for the Warblers.
"Dude, that's awesome! I'm going to try out too," Nick declared, putting the book he was unpacking into Jeff's bookcase upside down due to his excitement. When he noticed Jeff looking past him at the shelf in distress he caught his mistake and flipped it over, simultaneously making a mental note that Jeff seemed to have a preference for being well-organized. If it had been Nick's bookcase he couldn't have cared less.
"Cool," Jeff answered, somehow managing to sound both enthusiastic and reserved at the same time. "What are you going to sing?"
Nick gave him a wide grin as he picked up another handful of books, delighted that Jeff was taking the initiative to ask him a question – and in a stutter-free voice at that!
"Not sure yet. I'm thinking maybe some Maroon 5 or some Justin Timberlake. What do you think, could I bring 'Sexy Back' or what?"
Jeff gasped and fumbled with the stack of underwear he was loading into his chest-of-drawers, dropping half the briefs on the floor, and scrambling to pick them up. "Uh wow...yeah you could...I-I mean, sure I bet you'd s-sound good singing that."
"I just joking around, man. I know I don't exactly have sex appeal," Nick answered, amused by how flustered his roommate had gotten. "So what about you? Whatcha gonna do?"
"About what?" Jeff asked, looking up with wide eyes and his signature nervous blush.
"Your audition. What are you gonna sing?" Nick answered, hoping Jeff wouldn't always be so jumpy.
"Oh...my dad said I should do a country ballad."
"Really? You don't seem like the country type."
"I'm not, but he said it's the most...uh manly," Jeff answered with a shrug. "I don't think he really likes the idea of me singing too much."
Nick frowned. "Well you know if you don't sing something you can relate to that's gonna come across in your audition. Besides it's not like he's going to be watching." Nick suspected that Jeff's self-involved father had probably never bothered to watch anything that Jeff was doing. He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on encouraging his new friend instead. "You should do something you feel, Jeff. Whose your favorite band or singer?" Jeff shrugged again, obviously reluctant to answer so Nick gently prodded him. "Come on, you can tell me. No judgment, I promise."
"Well I like American Idol," Jeff said after a little while.
Nick could tell he was watching him carefully, trying to get a feel for his reaction. "Yeah, American Idol is good. I like it too."
"Well, you know...that guy?"
"Maybe, which one?" Nick asked, trying to keep from smirking.
"Ad-uh, David Cook," Jeff answered, nervously tearing open another box.
"Oh yeah, he's good," Nick answered, having already resolved to say something positive about whoever Jeff revealed. "I know a lot of people think it's lame, but I think American Idols has had some excellent artists."
Jeff hesitated for a moment, seemingly in deliberation. Finally he added, "I liked Adam Lambert too. He was really good," Jeff said with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, before worry creased his face. "Uh, you know, for a gay guy."
Nick considered the statement for a few seconds before responding. Obviously Jeff was uncomfortable talking about gays or saying anything positive about them. It irritated Nick at first, but then he realized that there was a good chance the sentiment came more from Jeff's father than from Jeff himself, and anyway, underlying the comment there did seem to be good intent.
"I know you didn't really mean anything bad by that, but you know it kinda sounds bad adding 'for a gay guy.' That's like saying 'she's really smart for a girl,' or 'he's really nice for a black guy.' There's no reason those things should impact whether someone is talented, smart, or nice, so you don't need to add it."
Nick watched as Jeff looked up from the box he was unpacking, an expression of surprise and anxiety etched across his face. "I'm so sorry, Nick. I...I didn't mean to offend you or say anything prejudiced."
"It's okay," Nick answered, giving Jeff a smile. "I know you didn't, and for the record I'm not gay, but I am against homophobia and discrimination in general. Besides, I happen to know that Dalton has a lot of gay people here and is pretty accepting overall. I just didn't want you to accidentally offend someone."
"That's really cool of you," Jeff answered, returning his attention to the items he was pulling out of the box. "Thanks."
As they finished putting everything away the boys continued discussing music and filling each other in on basic information about their lives. Jeff seemed a lot more relaxed now, and Nick discovered that he actually had a good sense of humor. He also learned that Jeff had a much older half-sister, named Robyn who lived in Washington state and owned a restaurant, as well as a younger brother named John who was about to start middle school.
"So you hungry?" Nick asked as he broke apart the last box and added it to the towering stack by the door. "Looks like we need to find a dumpster, and I was thinking we could check out our new dining hall."
"Sounds good," Jeff agreed as he picked up his keys from the desk.
"Great, I've pretty much been thinking non-stop about masturbation for like the last hour!" Nick declared, struggling to keep a straight face as he watched Jeff for his reaction.
Jeff's mouth dropped open and the keys slipped from his hand, clinking onto the floor by his feet, but going unnoticed as he blinked at Nick.
"Dude, you should see your face!" Nick exclaimed, as he burst into laughter. Jeff just stood there and stared at him like he had lost his mind, which only made it funnier to Nick. Eventually he was cackling so hard that he was gasping for breath and holding his stomach. "I know...I know what you're thinking," Nick said between chuckles. "But it has a second meaning."
"Um, what?" Jeff asked, a confused look on his face.
"Masturbation. It also means 'to chew.' So I was really just talking about eating, nothing sexual," Nick explained, grinning and sitting down on the edge of his bed to catch his breath.
"Uh Nick," Jeff said, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah?" Nick asked, still giggling at the joke he had pulled.
"I think you mean 'mastiCAtion.' Masturbation really does only have the one meaning," Jeff explained, raising his hand to his mouth and giggling quietly behind it.
"Oh crap!" Nick declared in horror, as all the amusement drained away from his face. He immediately tried to mentally count all the people he had shared this amusing gem of information with, wondering just how embarrassed he should be. Suddenly he remembered its original source and frowned. "I think my sister punked me!"
"Come on, Nick, let's go. Now you've got me thinking about masticating," Jeff said as he picked up his keys and led Nick out of the room.
After they ate, Nick and Jeff returned to the room to gather up and dispose of their empty boxes. Then they spent a couple of hours exploring their new campus, and even met a few of their new schoolmates. When they got back to the room, they set to work figuring out what songs they would do for their Warbler auditions on Monday. With encouragement from Nick, Jeff decided to do "Whataya Want from Me" by Adam Lambert, while Nick himself chose "Wake Up Call" by Maroon 5.
After a couple of rounds each of practice, Nick stood up and stretched, then pulled out a change of clothes and his bag of toiletries. "Okay, I'm gonna go have shower."
"K," Jeff answered, his attention still focused on his computer.
A thought crossed Nick's mind. He remembered his anxiety earlier that day about privacy, and wondered if Jeff had similar concerns. Nick was determined to try to start things off on the right foot, and knew that it would be up to him to dispel any awkwardness.
"I'm probably gonna be in there at least fifteen or twenty minutes. You know, in case you get hungry."
"Hungry?" Jeff asked, looking up in confusion.
"Yeah, in case you get hungry and feel like masticating," Nick explained innocently with a wink. "You'll have plenty of time for a snack while I'm gone."
Jeff gaped at him, surprise battling embarrassment for dominion over his face. "Uhh..."
"I don't need to know, man. I'm just sayin'...if you're hungry." Nick shrugged and walked into their bathroom, not sniggering until after the door was closed.
Nick had enjoyed his first, unofficial day at Dalton, and he was already growing to really like Jeff. He was looking forward to getting to know his roommate better as the school year progressed.
-000-
End Note: Please let me know what you thought of the first installment. Critiques, are most welcome, even if you hated it. Just please tell my why.
In the past I've always written fiction in the third person omniscient perspective or occasionally in first person, but I'm taking a stab at third person limited for this one. By the end of the story I want to be very deep inside Nick's head and I want readers to form a connection with him. However, my concern is that this might limit my ability to characterize Jeff and everyone else, so I'm very much looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks about the characterization.
I anticipate that Nick and Jeff will be in college or even graduated by the time it wraps up. There will definitely be sexual content as the story progresses.