A/N: Merry Christmas! And quick shout out to Sense8 on Netflix. I just watched the Christmas special, it was the best thing on television this year. If you don't watch the show, you need to get into it. It's a life changer. Plug over, enjoy the chapter.

Derek POV

After the slightly hectic first meeting of the glee club, the day breezed by quickly. Tonight was Bradley and I's date. Granted there were going to be other people there, but it was a total subtext date. This is a chance for me to prove to Brad that what we have is special. He told me I was the first guy he's been with, which is great because he's the first guy for me.

Before us being together, I would always find myself blushing when he's looked at me with a lingering glance in class or during a football game. I didn't understand why until I gave him a lift home after his car broke down. He later told me as we were parked outside his house that he made that up. I asked him why and he said I knew why then he slowly leant forward and kissed me. I knew at that moment that I was gay, because no other kiss I ever had, had made me feel like I was on fire like that one did.

I asked Caleb to go with me tonight because he wasn't too bright and unlike Jax, he wouldn't know what was going on. I also picked him, because he was a walking Viking, with his golden hair and tall stature. I hoped he was enough to distract Meri long enough. She was a man-eater.

I decided to wear my letterman jacket, because I didn't want to look too formal and because Brad told me I looked so sexy in it. I spent a full hour getting the rest of me ready. I had a shower, used shower gel everywhere, then got out and put gel in my hair and combed it fifty times trying to get the part right and to get my hair curved like a wave. I put on my new lime deodorant, which I really liked the smell of, it made me feel good and confident. I decided that I could go a little formal with my brown leather oxford shoes and jumped in the car when Bradley and the others pulled up.

Brad sniffed the air around me, looking slightly disgusted. "What's that smell?"

"Lime deodorant."

"That explains it. I hate lime. Can you roll down the window guys?"

I tried my best to not look embarrassed as we all rolled down the windows. Not the best start, but something that can be easily fixed. I'd miss the lime deodorant, though.

I managed to get a reservation at Breadstix this quickly because the manager was a big fan of my football games and assumed I was going to make it pro. Who knows he's probably right. Hopefully, by the time I get there, gay athletes are going to be an everyday thing. I don't plan to be in the closet for the rest of my life, just for the rest of high school, but I'll be there as long as Brad is because I don't want to push him. I know he says this is just an experiment, but I know deep down he isn't experimenting.

When we arrive, the manager quickly spots us and leads us to a booth in the back. I get Caleb to sit in inside of the both so that Brad and I were sitting across from each other and Meri sits next to him. I quickly started to rip at our free bread feeling butterflies. It starts to get a little awkward us sitting in silence, but luckily Caleb kicks off the conversation.

"So, ah Meri congrats on getting captain today."

The compliment caused her to perk up and stop picking at her nails. Smart move from Caleb, she's someone who loves talking about herself. "It was a no-brainer despite what that troll tried to do. Can you believe the mouth on her?"

"No, I don't," Caleb said. I could tell he was just telling her what he wanted to hear, which was the right way to get into her pants. Luckily I never let into her vagina trap. She had a reputation for being like a venus fly trap. Once you go in you, don't come out unscathed. I felt a little bit bad that I was basically throwing Caleb to the wolves, but a guy's got to do what he's got to do.

I dropped my bread on the table suddenly feeling confident. "So how was cheerleading today?" I asked, looked at Brad directly.

"It was good for once. The coach wasn't a complete bitch today after we told her the good news."

"Good news?" Caleb asked.

Meri looked at him like it was evident. "That I got captain and that I get to help Mr Cross pick the set list."

Oh yeah, I forgot their plan to take down the glee club because Coach Messer has a problem with Cable Cross. I've just been super occupied about our date.

"You're still talking about that, seriously." We all turned toward the familiar voice. In a waiter's uniform was May Murdoch.

"You work here?" I asked.

"Yes, I do because most people need a job to make money. Now. What will you be having this evening?"

I blinked rapidly trying to remove the surprise. "Ah, I'll have a medium rare steak with chips and salad."

"Same," Caleb added.

"Chicken salad," Brad said.

Meri gave her signature smile sneer. "What do you recommend? You look like you've had plenty of experience with food."

May looked at her amused. "Well since what you eat doesn't stay in your stomach long. I'm thinking a plate full of hot air, with some souls of the innocent on the side. Oh and the blood of a virgin to quench your succubus thirst."

A chuckle left my mouth before I could stop it and Meri threw a glare at me before directing her attention back to May.

"I could have your job for speaking like that to me."

"No, you couldn't. I'm the best, besides I believe I'm entitled to a pass after you slushied me in the hallway the other day."

Brad snapped his head toward Meri in anger. I frowned unsure why he'd care if Meri threw a slushie at May. Brad looked back at May with a soft smile. "Can you just get her the same as me, but with lots of pepper on it, please?"

After looking conflicted for a moment, May sighed and finished writing our orders. "I'll be back with your meals soon." She said before walking off.

Brad turned toward Meri sharply. "I told you to leave her alone!"

Meri narrowed her eyes and crosses her arms.

Caleb coughed to cut to the tension. "So … Cable Cross is our teacher. Kind of trippy right?"

He got a mild response back. The three of us were a little distracted. I didn't understand Brad's behaviour with Meri and May. He was actually polite to May, and he isn't respectful to most people. Meri was a bigger bitch than usual. Why? I shook my head, this was my first date with Brad, and I wasn't going to let anybody ruin it. I had to get Brad's attention and get him in the right mood.

I silently kicked off my school, before I reached out with my leg and rubbed it against Brad's. He perked up quickly and gave me a wry smile. "So are you two nervous about your next game?" Brad asked.

I was about to answer him, but Caleb slapped me on the back. "Heck no! Not with this guy at the helm."

"It's really a team effort. If none of the guys could catch what, I'm throwing." My foot followed a trailed up his leg, before reaching what I wanted. Brad froze to stop himself from jolting. "Then what I throw wouldn't matter."

Brad smiled, and I felt braver and bolder and continued doing what I was doing. I nearly jumped when I felt his foot on me. "I know exactly what you mean. When we do lifts, we throw people, so you've got to be vigorous and firm." Bradley said as he placed the perfect amount of pressure where it was needed, but then dropped his foot and pushed mine off, just as someone else grazed my foot.

Meri looked from me to Caleb, and I tried my best to not look suspicious. To my luck, May showed up. She'd distract Meri. May skilfully carried all four plates, but she did need help to get them off her arms. Brad was the first to help her, which I couldn't help but note.

"Alright. Now drinks. What would you all like? Meri, have you changed your mind about the blood of a virgin?" May asked.

Meri rolled her eyes. "Get me water with ice." Bradley bumped her with his elbow. I saw her jaw muscles clench. "Please."

May seemed indifferent to Meri's break in character. Instead, she just wrote down the order. "One water, one chocolate milkshake." She looked at Caleb and I. "What would you both like?"

" Coke, ple –" Caleb began.

Meri silenced him with her hand. "Why did you automatically order him a chocolate milkshake?"

"It's what he usually orders."

"Usually?" Meri looked at Bradley accusingly. As was I. "How often do you come here?" she asked.

Bradley didn't answer her, so she directed her attention to May. "How often does he come here? Is he here alone?"

May stood there like a statue, looking at Brad with pity. Meri huffed in frustration before directing her fury toward Caleb and me. "Which of you hand his foot on his crotch?"

"What?" Caleb asked, looking down at me. I began to have a mini-heart attack. This was not how tonight was supposed to go.

Meri looked at me and gave a humourless laugh, before looking at Brad who had gone quite as he looked down in embarrassment at his plate. "You promised you'd stop."

"Stop what?" I asked.

"Cheating." She answered dismissingly, as her attention was entirely on Brad. "First I find out you've slept with most of the cheerios and some of the boys from Dalton, now it's the quarterback. And you bring me on a date with him!" Meri stood up and climbed over Bradley before stomping out of view.

I just sat there shocked, mortified and outed. "There were other boys," I whispered, not out of fear of being heard, but because of the pain, I was feeling.

"I told you I was experimenting, and what just happened proves its been nothing more. We can't even get through a meal. I'm sorry Derek, but were done." He got up and left money on the table before he went after Meri.

I just sat there paralysed by the pain. Caleb dropped some money on the table before following after them, not looking at me. I sat there for what felt like forever before May pulled me up and out of the booth. I didn't struggle, it made sense that she was throwing me out. When the cold night air hit me, it woke me up a little to realise we hadn't gone through the front entrance. We were in the back the area, which was guarded by a gate and I saw a sign that said reserved for staff. She sat be down on a bench.

"Do you want your food?" She asked.

I just burst into tears, almost hyperventilating as I gasped for breath. May must have sat beside me as she wrapped me in a hug. I clung to her, like a life vest. She didn't say anything, she just held me, gently rubbed my back and started to sing.

When routine bites hard,

And ambitions are low,

And resentment rides high,

But emotions won't grow,

And we're changing our ways, taking different roads.

Then love, love will tear us apart again.

Love, love will tear us apart again.

Why is the bedroom so cold?

You've turned away on your side.

Is my timing that flawed?

Our respect runs so dry.

Yet there's still this appeal

That we've kept through our lives.

But love, love will tear us apart again.

Love, love will tear us apart again.

You cry out in your sleep,

All my failings exposed.

And there's a taste in my mouth,

As desperation takes hold.

Just that something so good just can't function no more.

But love, love will tear us apart again.

Love, love will tear us apart again.

Love, love will tear us apart again.

Love, love will tear us apart again.

I understood what she was trying to convey to me and it only made me cry more. Here she was practically a stranger, and she was holding me, singing to me, to make me feel better.

"I-I thought I was the only guy. I knew he'd been with girls, and – and that didn't matter because he was with me now." I grabbed on to her tighter, as the reality of Brad and me being in the past hit me. We were no longer present tense, we were past tense. "I thought I was the only one."


A/N: Again Merry Christmas and let me know how you feel about what just happened in a review.