Connor joined the growing crowd of kids at the gate. There were some armed guards, as if this was juvie. Which Connor supposed it sort of was.

After the headmaster, Karl Simmons, made a speech of some sort about how everything was going to be amazing and great 100% of the time, and how this was for their own good, Connor headed up to his room.

He apparently had two bunkmates. The other boys in his room were already there.

"Hey," Connor said. "I'm Connor, and I'm going through withdrawals of pot so I'll be quite moody!"

One of the other boys shook his hand. "I'm James," he explained. "That's Mack."

James was quite handsome, with fair skin and freshly cut combed gelled hair that was jet black. In many ways he looked the opposite of Connor but for some well-concealed chipped nail polish on his fingers.

Mack was bigger. His head was shaved so there was only a couple millimeters of hair on his head, he had a tattoo of a sword and a shield, and his face was curled into a permanent scowl.

Mack had been there for a year, and he had more duties than the other boys, so he left, leaving James and Connor alone.

"You used to paint your nails," Connor noted.

"Yeah," James admitted. "It's part of the reason my dad sent me here. He said it's too girly."

Connor revealed his nails.

"Nice," James smiled. "Why are you here?"

"I got expelled from my school because I constantly smoked pot and skipped class so I could visit my boyfriend in the hospital."

"I said it was part of the reason," James grinned. "Care to hear what the rest was?"

Connor raised his eyebrows.

"Ok, so it's a long story," James began, "but we have a lot of time so I'm going to tell it anyway.

"My dad's really religious, really old-school kind of 'boys like girls and girls like boys' and 'girls wear pink and boys wear blue' kind of guy. He's really conservative. His great-grandfather, my great-great-grandfather, fought for the Confederacy. He's the kind of guy who believes you can't have sex until you're married and girls can be given away like property. Long story short: he found out my two 'secrets' which weren't really secrets. 1. I paint my nails. Sue me. 2. I'm very, very, very gay."

Connor laughed. "It'll be good to have you here. I. I honestly miss my boyfriend a lot."

"You're gay too?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "No, I have a boyfriend, painted nails, and long hair because I'm the straightest person in the world, didn't you know?"

James laughed out loud. "OK, I guess it was obvious…hey, you say you used to smoke pot?"

Connor nodded and James continued. "Want some beer to dull the pain?"

"Beer?"

"I would've brought whiskey, but my dad drinks it all himself."

Connor nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love some."

Three weeks later…

The three weeks Connor had spent at the academy had been hell except for James. Their relationship had only grown, and while Connor missed Evan dearly, he also was keen as hell on James. James had opened himself up, and every time he was getting into uniform or pajamas Connor caught himself staring.

Don't think about James, Evan is your boyfriend, Connor would think furiously. But Connor hadn't seen Evan in three weeks. He had to make the most of his new life here at the academy, right? Right?

One day, when Connor and James were very drunk on James's beer, which was running out, Connor stared at James too long and James noticed.

"You eyeing me up, Murphy?" James asked cheekily, cocking an eyebrow. "I thought you had a boyfriend."

"I do, I do, I just," Connor stammered. James stopped him with a kiss.

Connor's mind was reeling. But none of it around Evan, all of it around James.

James pulled away, staring into Connor's eyes, trying to decide if he'd made the right move. Connor leaned in again and the world swirled around them.

Just you and me. It'll be us, it'll be us and only us.

Two months later…

Connor was finally home for Christmas break. He hadn't decided what he wanted to do about Evan. He loved James, but Evan might go psycho and try to kill himself again. He thought about it all through the way home, and reentering New York.

Connor knew it wasn't fair to keep carrying on with James and not letting Evan go. He either had to break up with James and tell Evan about everything, or break up with Evan and stay with James.

Connor finally made his decision, texted James, and walked to Evan's house.

Connor rang Evan's doorbell. Evan's grinning face appeared on the other side of the door and he opened it. "Connor!" Evan said enthusiastically. He leaned in for a brief kiss, but Connor pulled away.

"Evan," Connor began. "I have something to tell you."

Evan's face fell and Connor leaned forward to pick up the pieces. Or destroy it further. He didn't know which. "Evan, I met this great guy at the academy—"

"You're breaking up with me?" Evan asked incredulously.

"Well, I—"

"After all we've been through, you're just dumping me for the first guy who comes along?"

Connor struggled to get a word in. "Evan, you know I—"

"When we last saw each other, when I got out of the hospital, you said you loved me!" Evan was also struggling, but to hold back tears.

"Evan, it's not fair to you or James to keep dating you!" Connor finally blurted.

"I guess not," Evan said, a slight choke in his voice.

Connor felt like shit but it was better than cheating on Evan. He thought.