Todd Anderson's stomach filled with the same dread every time he was faced with Neil Perry at work. Their days at Hellton were over, but, while they had all been friends, each boy had procured a job together at a local restaurant. The Oak Room Sports Bar was a casual affair by any means, and their positions as waiters together solidified their friendships in high school and made them some extra pocket change. Now, they were out of school, and this dead-end was merely a summer job in between their college breaks. Neil Perry was a Princeton man, and Todd went to Harvard. Todd smirked with pride inside himself that he, naturally, had gotten into a better school. The five percent acceptance rate was even lower than Princeton's seven percent, and it was no surprise that Todd managed to be one of those lucky few. He knew Neil seethed with jealousy at knowing he had gotten the "next best thing". Thankfully, the distance between Massachusetts and New Jersey was great enough that if the two happened to see each other in their college time, it was clearly the universe putting out signs. But, alas, it was summer now, and they were together again, having to face each other in the world's worst job. This time apart, though, did not make Todd forget that Neil Perry was his ex-boyfriend. And so the sickening dread, the orgasmic shudder, the electric shock coursed through his stomach at every moment he was forced to look at Neil in his cute uniform and accept the fact they were no longer together. And they certainly worked together too often for Todd's taste. The bigger problem came to be because Todd was dating Steven Meeks, another Hellton alum and the restaurant's finest host.
Steven was a beautiful ginger boy with Buddy Holly glasses, and recently after Neil had broken up with Todd, they had reconnected at work over their shared interests in 50s doo-wop and writing for pleasure. Neil had broken up with Todd shortly before Christmas, and Todd was heart-broken. He had never expected to date someone else so soon, and he was not by any means dating Steven to make Neil jealous or have a distraction in his life. Todd knew how awful it was to have your feelings manipulated. But it had went well for a while with Steven. He had found someone who was just like him interest-wise, in personality, and in some ways, physical mannerisms. Now, after about six months together and nine months apart from Neil, Todd felt sick. He had been slowly falling out of love with Steven and back in love with the Neil that had hurt him. Todd was so conflicted, he didn't even know if Neil still loved him, or if he loved someone else, but the love triangle that existed for him at his job was tearing him apart on the inside, even if no one knew his turmoil, and he planned to keep it that way. Nonetheless, his life was an emotional tornado.
Todd knew he was being deceitful in such a small way. He switched into shifts to see Neil, he constantly dreamt about him, and he could not think of Steven in a deep way anymore. Now, he loved Steven as a friend again. He was such a sweet guy, so kind and caring, and they had so much in common. He was much nicer than Neil had been to him in the end. But he just did not love him romantically. Steven hardly talked to him and hardly took him out. His effort lacked, and Todd felt bored. He had brought his concerns up to Steven, but it didn't seem to him that anything was changing. As his love for Steven lessened, his love for the foul Neil Perry grew stronger. Steven, however, was very in love with him. It would break his little heart to lose Todd, and that's what made it even harder. Todd was dragging his feet about what he should do, knowing all the while they desperately needed to break up. It was infinitely harder to break up with a sweet guy than an awful one. But, in leading him on, Todd felt so much worse. It would hurt him all the more in the end.
Even worse, Steven was not in college right now. His family was on the poorer side of Hellton, something Todd didn't mind, but he stayed at the job. Todd, however, would be going away to Harvard again very soon, a prospect that always made him both excited and nervous. Neil would again be leaving for Princeton and away from Todd. Every move of their lives complicated what Todd should do about each of them. When to break up, if he should talk to Neil at all... it was all so hard for such a shy boy.
And so, on this fateful day, after he parked his shiny black car in the lot and walked inside, and saw Neil standing there in his loose black pants and tight white shirt, Todd knew in his heart what he felt for the boy. The question was: to confess his love to Neil Perry or not?