Chapter 10: Live Wires by Star

Portman's POV

"Averman? You seen Banksie?"

Averman looks stunned that I'm looking for Adam. I guess that's fair, I don't think we've had a conversation since the "Her name is Julie, not 'babe'" incident last year.

"No, he might be in the quad. If I see him, I'll tell him you're looking for him."

"Thanks, dude." I clap him on the shoulder and he falls to the ground, muttering about how Goliath hit him. I'd usually find it amusing, but right now I'm too preoccupied.

I continue my search. Fulton finally managed to recount the end of the tale of Charlie and Adam kissing this morning. He told me that when he looked back Adam was gone and Charlie looked heartbroken.

He meant to tell me last night, but we got side-tracked. I can't fight the smile as I remember last night. Fulton surprised the life out of me, he'd seemed so nervous at first. That moment when he took my hand… I won't ever forget that.

I was just working up the courage to try it myself.

One of the reasons I didn't come to Eden Hall straight away was because I was worried how things would turn out. After the Junior Goodwill Games I'd pretty much deduced that I wasn't straight, but then the rumors about Charlie and Adam started and I began to worry that they would one day be about me.

Something just didn't feel right when I went to the presentation of our scholarships. Then I heard that Coach Bombay wasn't going to be coaching us and it gave me a perfect excuse to stay in Chicago.

Then Bombay came to see me—it feels longer than only a few weeks ago. He told me that things had fallen apart but were getting back to normal. He also told me that Fulton was missing me. That guy is far more perceptive than we give him credit for.

So I came to Eden Hall, reclaimed my title of Bash Brother, and I've not regretted it. One day I'm going to have to thank Bombay, coming here was the best decision I've ever made. Well, the second. I would have to say that kissing Fulton is at the top of the list.

The only bad thing is the awkwardness after last night. I guess you could count the night as a date. Of course, you don't generally date the person you're living with, not at our age, anyway.

Neither of us quite knew when to put a stop to what we were doing. If we were living in separate rooms it would have been easier. One of us would have had to say "I should get back to my dorm now," at some point.

I think Fulton looks to me for the answers, assuming I'm more experienced. I'm not, all the experience I have is talking to another guy who was gay. The only reason I had the courage to kiss Fulton was because he held my hand.

All the same, I'm glad all of these firsts are happening with Fulton.

In the end, we fell asleep in his bed. Nothing really happened, and I'm glad, it's too soon for anything else.

Naturally we made sure the door was locked, the Ducks are apt to walk into each other's rooms without knocking. Fulton told me that Averman walked into Guy's room and found him and Connie up to no good and the ragging went on for weeks.

Could you imagine the reaction if it was two guys?

One thing that does impress me is how long Adam and Charlie have kept their feelings hidden. Fulton thinks they've only been together since the beginning of this term, I think possibly since the camp out after the Junior Goodwill Games.

Fulton and I have only been together for about twelve hours and we're finding it difficult to hide. We've had to put some distance between us as we walk around because every time my hand brushes his we turn and smile at each other. I just can't help it.

I finally spot Adam and am dragged away from my happy thoughts. It's time for damage control. Fulton is on the lookout for him too. We're not going to tell him about us yet, again, far too soon, but we are going to let him know that we're supportive, and we won't tell anyone.

I suddenly wonder if I'm the best person to talk to Adam. Sure I can talk to Fulton, but Fulton expects me to talk to him like a human being. The rest of the team seem to think I'm a big goon without brains.

Which is probably why Adam looks so terrified of me as I walk up to him.

"Banksie!" I smile at him. "Can I have a word?"

He looks around, then reluctantly nods. "Not here."

I get it, too public. "Ok."

We find a quiet corner and he looks at me. "What?"

That's probably the most aggressive thing he's ever said to me. He looks awful. He's got a deer-in-headlights look in his eyes, and his complexion is verging on transparent.

"I just wanted to talk to you… about last night," I tell him. This is not going to go well. It should be Fulton talking to him. Fulton knows how to talk to people. He's also known Banks a long time.

"What about it?" He asks cagily.

"You and Charlie," I say in a low voice. "I just wanted to let—"

"Me and Charlie?" He snorts. "I wasn't with Charlie last night."

"Fulton saw the two of you," I say. "And it's—"

"Disgusting, I know! But it wasn't me!" he says frantically. "It was Guy!"

He needs to calm down. Maybe I should have talked to Charlie instead. Charlie's far easier to talk to. Adam's like a bundle of live wires. "Guy's with Connie," I say. "Adam, really it's—"

"It wasn't me!" he tells me again, I can see tears forming in his eyes. "I'm not like that."

I'm really no good at this. "Adam, I know it was you."

"How?" He asks angrily. "You were staring at the sky the entire time!"

The deer in headlights look intensifies, he gives me one last look before taking off. I make a grab for his arm, but he shakes it off and runs like the devil was after him.

Wonderful. Not only did I scare him verbally, but when I grabbed him, he probably thought I was going to beat him to a bloody pulp.

I punch the wall in anger. I've just made a bad situation one hundred times worse.