Author's notes: Most of these chapters will be rated PG-13 though the work does contain some NC-17 material: foul language, brutally honest character assessment and depiction; material of a graphic sexual nature (which does not appear until Chapter 4), and analyses which readers might find insulting and offensive.
Sebastian slammed the car door shut once he had seated himself in the back seat of the black limousine. Once he fastened his safety-belt, the driver started rolling away from the expansive curbside gates of Dalton Academy. He wasn't the only passenger in the back of the limo, and, although he was trying to appear nonchalant and indifferent, intentionally avoiding immediate eye-contact, it was plainly evident to the other occupant that Sebastian was slightly nervous. As the silent seconds turned to minutes which felt like hours and the limousine had traveled only walking distance from the school, Sebastian's internal apprehension became visible anxiety.
"You know, we're still within walking distance from your school," Dave spoke, breaking the silence with a stony expression, eyes unfocused but sighted immediately ahead into nothing. "You could get out and walk back to the Academy before we get too far away. It might be a wise thing to do. Otherwise you're gonna shake yourself out of your well-rehearsed composure."
Sebastian turned his head slowly toward the other boy, a meek smile on his face as if he'd been caught doing something inappropriate. "Is it that obvious that I'm that nervous?" The s-sounds were slightly slurred, the hint of a stutter.
Dave turned his head likewise toward the other boy, not pulling himself from his reclined position that screamed of bored resignation, his expression one of annoyed indifference, eyelids heavy but eyes conversationally aggressive. "Yeah, it's that obvious. And you're relieved that I talked first because you had no idea how to start this."
"I wanted to go back, but I can't," Sebastian admitted, referring to Dave's initial suggestion.
"Yeah, I know," Dave spoke, sounding slightly more approachable. "I didn't want to be here either, but we're stuck. No choice in the matter."
Sebastian smiled more accommodating, reaching his hand across the seat. "We've never been properly introduced. I'm Sebastian Smy…"
"I know who the fuck you are," Dave cut Sebastian's introduction short, glancing at his hand with an expression of distaste, not reaching his own to shake upon the greeting. "Just like you already know who I am. No introductions necessary."
Sebastian withdrew his hand, embarrassment visible on his face. Another expanse of dead-air followed before Sebastian spoke again. "So, where are we going exactly?"
Dave snorted a laugh. "No idea. We didn't make the rules here, we're just stuck on this roadtrip together. A whole week shot in the ass, and nothing either one of us can do about it because neither one of us wants to be here but we can't get out of it either."
"Fuh…" Sebastian exhaled the expletive incompletely, his manners not allowing the whole word from his lips. His self-censoring nature was not unnoticed by Dave who shook his head and rolled his eyes in response, turning to the window at his side.
"Why are we here anyway?" Sebastian asked as a sincere question, a slight whine in his voice. "I mean, if neither one of us wants to be here, what's the deal?"
"It's Smythofsky week or some such shit."
"What is Smythofsky week?"
Dave smirked a sarcastic grin and shook his head as he replied. "You see, there's this bunch of straight girls who see two unattached gay guys like you and me, and they assume that we should be together just because we're gay and unattached, regardless of the fact that there's no basis for us to be together. So they put us together for a week thinking that we're gonna fall in love or at least get it on or something."
Sebastian's face twisted slightly, baffled. "What straight girls?"
"Ah, the straight girls," Dave's voice raised to a near-bark. "They're everywhere. They watch us. They think, like, how neat it would be if we got together. They have nothing better to do so they put guys like you and me into these ridiculous, unlikely scenarios. They get off on thinkin' about it, I guess."
Sebastian smirked, a smug expression. "Chicks dig thinking about me getting nasty with you?"
Dave glared at the suggestion. "Like I said, they must have nothing better to do," the dismissive words delivered through gritted teeth.
"Geeze, calm down, big guy," Sebastian placated. "C'mon, you could do a lot worse than me, right?"
Another eye-roll. "Means nothing if your personality is repellent."
"Aw, c'mon," Sebastian protested. "That's not fair. You hit on me at Scandals that one time."
"Yeah, you're an okay-looking guy, and I was freaking desperate that night. After you shot me down, I realized how much your face resembles a twelve-year-old boy's hairless scrotum. A scrotum with a shit-eating grin."
Sebastian's jaw hung open as he audibly exhaled, stung and incredulous that someone might find fault with his flawless appearance. "Well, uh, you're just some crude jock." The retaliatory delivery fell short of effective, and Dave chuckled to himself, shaking his head once again.
"Listen, guy, I already know what you think of me," Dave smirked, eyes unfocused but facing ahead. "No point in making something out of nothing and no point in making this any more painful than it has to be. We're stuck here having to endure each other for this whole week thanks to the fangirls who think they know what we want."
"But can't we give it a shot or something?"
"Listen, dude," Dave's voice became confrontational. "Can you honestly say that if you were in a room with twenty other guys that you'd look at me twice? Can you say you'd look at me twice if you were in a room with five other guys? Honestly?"
Sebastian faced away from Dave, not speaking. Dave faced forward once again, accepting Sebastian's unspoken answer.
"Well, we're not the only two unattached gay guys," Sebastian offered after a span of silence. "There's that Chandler guy."
"Aw, fuck that," Dave's face grimaced in disgust as he spat his words with distinct venom. "Chandler doesn't exist. He was the wrong-headed idea of some dumb-ass writers who decided to further insult their audience with another fucking gay stereotype. Fuck, you barely exist by those standards."
Sebastian shook his head in surprise, appearing to become almost transparent for a moment at the delivery of Dave's statement. "You don't need to get mean about it. We should try to make the best of this if we're stuck together for a week."
"Listen," Dave addressed Sebastian's eyes with his as he spoke with a hard, pointed tone. "No point in lying for the sake of politeness here: you and I find each other fucking repulsive. Got it?"
"Uh, I," Sebastian's voice was quaking. "I hurt you when I insulted you at Scandals that one time. Sorry about that."
"It doesn't matter. You didn't like me then, you don't like me now. You were just being honest. No harm done, just no point in pretending anything else."
"You liked me, though."
"Not really," Dave answered calmly, "I was just desperate and you were there."
"What about all the straight girls who are watching, the ones that expect us to get freaky with each other?"
"Fuck that. We have no choice but to be here and endure each other. What we do while we're here is up to us."
"Well, we could at least try and get along then."
"Not happening."
Sebastian whimpered a playful flirtatious sigh as he extended his hand across the seat, reaching to touch Dave's. Dave pulled his hand away, planted himself more firmly into his side of the backseat, and jerked his gaze out the window, away from Sebastian.
The silence was thick again. The quiet humming of the luxury car became almost deafening until Sebastian emitted a defeated chuckle.
"Why a limo?"
"What?"
"Why are we in a limo?" Sebastian's question posed jokingly.
"I guess they thought you wouldn't ride in anything less, prep-school boy," Dave answered.
Sebastian chuckled again, louder this time. "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"What would you be riding in if it was your choice?"
"If it was my choice, I wouldn't be here."
Sebastian exhaled again, sounding quiet defeat. "You know, I'm alright being stuck on this week-long thing with you."
"That's just because there's no one around to swoon over you and make you feel like you're hot."
Sebastian's face took on an air of defiance. "Who'd you rather be with?"
"If given the choice between you and something else, I'd opt for being by myself."
"Can't you at least tell me I look good to you or something?"
Face otherwise expressionless, Dave's eyes shot sideways and moved up and down Sebastian's seated form before sighting themselves forward into empty space again. "No. I could say that, but I'd be lying."
